I want to power an oudoor subwoofer as well as four outdoor "rock speakers." I have an older Sonos Connect and Sonos Connect Amp. I also have an amplifier. The equipment I have is listed below. Can you help me figure out how to set this up? Should I get a new AMP? can that power all four rock speakers and the sub as well? Thoughts about how to set this up and whether I should acquire any new equipment.
The equipment I have is:
this passive subwoofer https://www.osdaudio.com/products/speakers/outdoor/outdoor-subwoofers/in-ground-8-500w-outdoor-underground-burial-rated-subwoofer-gls8-green.html
and these outdoor speakers https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KEKPC2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
this amplifier. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XDRZD3D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
thoughts about how i can best drive this?
Best answer by tracker
Two methods: (1) Use the Connect Amp to drive the 4 main rock speakers, 2 each in parallel to its speaker terminals, and take its subwoofer RCA-connector output to the Rockville amp, solely to drive that buried subwoofer.
But if that isn’t enough volume from the main rocks, or the Connect Amp starts to distort or overheat when you turn it up enough to be heard, then: (2) Use the Connect instead, plus 2 pair of RCA Y-splitters to drive *two* Rockville amps, one for the main rock speakers and the other for the buried subwoofer. Use the crossover setting on your second Rockville amp to restrict the output to low-frequency.
(The reason not to try to do 4 rock speakers and 1 sub with just one Rockville amp is that, even if you can drive 4 rock speakers off 2 channels because you get 4-ohm impedance with 2x8 ohms in parallel, when you parallel the subwoofer with that, you’re likely to be below the impedance that amp can handle, it’ll overheat and poof. Besides, even OSD shows a separate amp to drive their subwoofer, and since they make their own landscape speakers, they *could* have added a switch to change the impedance with the combo. They didn’t. Lesson to the installer…)
Personal opinion: Unless your garden is small, go straight to method (2). The Connect Amp’s 55 watts/channel is not going to do much with moderately low-efficiency outdoor speakers, and unless it’s a walled garden, you’ll find that you need to radiate a *lot* of power, just to be heard over street noise and ambient party sounds. Yes, you could buy a new Sonos Amp instead and *maybe* 125 watts/channel (plus the Rockville to drive the sub) will be enough. But then what are you going to do with your extra zone player? The only reason to try the new Amp is if method (2) would be “using up” your old Connect, which was normally slated for use elsewhere. In that case, better to buy a new Amp with lots of features than to buy a new Port just to replace your “now-missing” Connect.