Different speaker options and output volume

[David K]

I have used my B2 with Brennan speakers for the last 8 months - but have found that in a relatively large room space they were short of volume when I wanted to 'play loud' when everyone else is out of the house. 

I have therefore more recently paired the B2 with a set of 'big' decent quality speakers (8 ohm - but 6x the size of the B2 speakers) that came with an old hifi system and have enjoyed the increase in maximum volume but I find that minimum volume (1 on the display) is too loud (especially base notes) when playing the B2 during the early hours when my family are asleep.

I have used the B2 with a set of hard wired headphones, but to match it with the big speakers required relocating the B2 so that hard wired headphones are no longer practical.

Should I therefore 

a) get wireless headphones - if so how do they plug in / connect? I am using a antenna for bluetooth so do the headphones just pick up its signal? In this case how does the B2 play without speaker volume as it does with wired headphones.

b) have some sort of inline switch system that allows me to alternate between the two sets of speakers?

Thoughts and suggestions from the more knowlegeable of you would be welcome:)

I am not looking to spend large amounts of cash.

Thanks

[PMB]

Hi David,

Some suggestions - 

Do you still have the amplifier that the came with the old HiFi system? You could connect your B2 to the amplifier and use it to drive the speakers. The amplifier may provide a better volume adjust range for you.

Use Bluetooth headphones. It appears not all makes work that well with the B2 so it is worth reading some of the Bluetooth discussions on the forum (click on the Bluetooth tag to list these). The volume will have to be controlled on the headphones as the Bluetooth signal is sent at a constant volume.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[David K]

Hi Paul

Thanks for the ideas

I will look at the forum for info on bluetooth headphones.

Sadly I ditched the old system in the recycling at the weekend - so the amp is not an option.

If using bluetooth do you need to turn the volume on the B2 off? Obviously using the jack plug with headphones the B2 output through speakers is nil. Apologies if this is in the forum:)

David

[Brian R]

Hi David

Yes you do need to turn down the volume on the B2 if using headphones. Based on good reports from other forum members I bought a set of AKG-Y50BT Bluetooth headphones, they work well.

Brian

[David K]

Many thanks Brian.

Best

David

[dclement]

Hi David,

Just out of curiosity, I wonder what these loudspeakers must be, if they are so loud on volume 1 (Klipsch?). Mine have a fairly high output (95db/1W/1m), but on vol. 1 they are hardly louder than a PC fan.

Maybe you could insert an attenuator (is that the right name?) inline -- the Internet is full of DIY diagrams. But then, anything you put inline is bad for sound quality...

Daniel

[David K]

Hi Daniel

They are Jamo D 165. They were supplied with a component Sony (?) Hifi - that cost me silly money 25 -30 years ago.

Reading about them online they are said to be not fantastic quality hifi fidelity sound but were designed to be loud especially bass.

Obviously the varying sound levels of the 1300 cd's on my B2 is a factor.

[steve voce]

I'm interested in David's initial question about a switch between two sets of speakers. At the moment I have the B2 connected to Mission  753 stand alone speakers via Audiolab amps. I'd like to use the B2 directly to the speakers, cutting out the Audiolab, and would like a switch connected to the Missions so that I could alternate between my hi-fi (Audiolab) and the B2. (David's suggestion in reverse, if you like!). Any such switch that I managed to find was eccentric and also silly money for what is a minor task. Anyone any ideas?

Steve

[PMB]

Hi Steve,

Speaker switching boxes were principally designed/made to switch one amplifier between two or more sets of speakers, the opposite of what you want to do.

Have you thought about connecting the B2's 'Line Out' (or SPDIF via a DAC for best sound quality) to a 'Line/Aux In' on the AudioLab. That way the speakers remain connected to the AudioLabs and you can select B2 as a 'source'.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[David K]

Hi Paul,

On seeing your latest post I wondered if the following would be useful for my original question

www.amazon.co.uk/AV-Link-128-425-Loudspeaker-Selector/dp/B003GSVHD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521107121&sr=1-1&keywords=4+way+loudspeaker+selector&dpID=21tcukWNZEL&preST=_SX300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch

I am hoping that if I plug my B2 into this switch I could then run either speaker set (or both if desired).

Any thoughts?

[steve voce]

Thanks, Paul for the detailed reply!

I'm pretty sure that the B2 through the Audiolab amps (as set up now) is as good as I'll get with the equipment that I have. I had in mind running the B2 as a separate unit without the Audiolabs, largely because I have a number of spare speakers hanging about which I'd like to use, and also to save the juice that the Audiolabs are using via the B2.

The set-up I have produces excellent sound, so I'm just experimenting.

Steve`

[Dick Cooper]

Rather than buying wireless or bluetooth headphones, if your existing phones are fine, I'd go to the nearest charity or secondhand shop and buy another amp (might be cheaper than buying that splitter). I'm using a high end amp so I'm biased, but I'm not sure the B2 amp is going to deliver much better sound than a purpose-built amp.

Or if the B2 is anywhere near a modern TV you could listen late at night through the TV using the HDMI output.

[dclement]

Hi David,

I have read that the Jamo D165 output was rated at 92dB/1W/1m. That's fairly high, but not exceptional either, only just marginally lower than my Davis Acoustics. I talked about it with my colleague physics teacher and we agreed that it was weird: in theory, you should get an acoustic level lower or equal to the one I get on vol. 1, which I find really low, even uncomfortably low for listening. (I usually listen with volume betweeen 30 or 40.)

So I must join those who advised to grab good headphones; any good quality switch or attenuator would probably cost as much.

[David K]

Hi Daniel

It is the thumping bass with the Jamo's that is the problem, probably due to house construction and them being placed on the floor. After many years of attending gigs (dating back to the early days of punk) my hearing definitely has a few flat spots so that doubtless affects things.

Yes, Headphones are probably the best option, but the Brennan speakers probably give a better sound when at low volumes - the Jamo's only come into their own at higher volumes.

From your italics do I assume you think the switch I found on Amazon would not be that good...?

David

[PMB]

Hi David,

There is a further complication with using a speaker switch/selector with the B2 - the amplifier used in the B2 is called a Bridge-Tied design, which means both output terminals, +ve (red) and -ve (black), are active. The -ve terminals are not common between left and right speaker outputs, as they would be on a conventional (single-ended) amplifier and cannot be joined together.

I suspect speaker switch boxes connect all the -ve terminals together internally and only switch the +ve connections i.e. they are designed for single-ended amplifiers, not bridge-tied ones.

So if going the speaker selector route you would need to find one that switches both +ve and -ve connections to each speaker and keeps the -ve signals separate.

Paul

Brennan Support.

 

[Brian R]

Hi All

I have been using a L/S switch for the past two years without problem. It came from Maplins so I imagine that you'd need to be quick to get one! https://www.maplin.co.uk/p/4-way-stereo-speaker-switch-box-n99kt

Brian

[David K]

Thanks Paul & Brian

Paul if poss - would you have a look at Brian's suggestion and see what you think. I love my B2 too much to blow it up :)

David

[PMB]

Hi Brian,

The unit David suggests and is using himself (I assume he is using it with a B2...) looks to be suitable to use with the B2. It must switch both terminals of the connected amplifier and speakers to achieve the series/parallel configurations described in one of the reviews.

Lets hope they have stock....

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Brennan Support]

Hello David

Martin here - I'm a bit late to answer this - but if it was me I'd put a resistor in series with the speaker.

Its a bit brute force but its simple - if the speakers are 8 ohm and you put another 8 ohms in series then you quarter the power going to the speaker. Bigger resistor less power.

Whether you do it will depend on your comfort buying and wiring components - you will need to find beefy resistors so you can turn up the power - and you may want to add a switch.

My main reason for chipping in is an observation a few years ago - another post mentioned attenuators and quality - but a few years ago I did exactly this - so I could work without deafening myself. And it seemed to me that the sound was better with the resistor.

I've got pretty good ears and there are physicsy reasons why it would make a difference. It wasn't very scientific but it stuck with me.

Martin

[David K]

Hi Martin

Thanks for that. It is that old nutmeg of wanting my B2 to be so many things at different times and different uses.

best

David

[Brian R]

Hi David

     Of course I should have confirmed I was using the switch with a B2.Switches should be cheaper in the clearance sale (assuming there is stock left). If you have lengthy cable runs as I have (I have 3 pairs of speakers in different rooms) the cable itself will add some resistance.

Brian