How to Hook Up 4 Dq-10 speakers

It can't be done with only 4 channels of amplification and a system requiring 6 channels....unless you are planning to use the two pairs of DQ10's in a stacked configuration. Why do you want to use 4 main speakers in a two channel system???

Brf

I too am interested in stacked configurations.

This doesn't seem to get much discussion, but advocates suggest there are huge benefits to be gained from "stacking" certain speakers.

Historically, Quads, KLH 9s, and Spendors have been used this way, so maybe DQ10's would work too?

Glam good luck and hope other people reply.

I would be happy to tell you how to use 2 and send the other 2 to my house...if that will help. :) Nice vintage speakers!

I see in the crossover manual that it is made to hook up 4 subwoofers with it, but states therein that you need 2 amps just for the subwoofers. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

I had that set up (Stacked DQ10s/Pair Subs and the Electronic XO)

First you will need "at least" a VERY POWERFUL and VERY STABLE Stereo power amp (or pair of monoblocs) to power just the DQ10's.

That same amp cannot be used for the subs. They will require a separate two channel or monobloc pair to power them.

The DQ10s are 8 ohms and stacking them and running parallel will give your amp a 4 ohm load so they like power, and they like stability (must be stable at 4 ohms and preferably less)

SO to recap:

Each pair of stacked DQ10s will need either a single channel of an amp or a single channel for each DQ10 if you want to biamp the stacked pair.

Each sub will perform best with its "own" channel if you intend to run them stereo. You could run them mono and in get by with a single sub amp if it too was powerful and stable.

I can see how it would get confusing, since there are a lot of options when you begin to consider biamping, stereo/mono subs, etc.

Lots of flexbility here, but one thing for sure, you can't do it all with a single Stereo amp.

Summitav,

Interesting, but how did it sound to you?

Interesting, but how did it sound to you?

If you mean "stacked"; They sounded fantastic!! But that was back in the mid 70's.

System was:

Rabco ST7 TT with straightline tracking
Denon 103 cartridge
Citation 17 Preamp
Dahlquist electronic XO
Pair Bridged Citation 16 amps (for L&R DQ10 Mains)
Citation 16 stereo amp (for Stereo Dahlquist subs)
Stacked and mirror imaged DQ10's for L&R Mains
Stereo Dahlquist Subs.

I hope I remembered that correctly.

Re If you mean "stacked"; They sounded fantastic!!

I am sure they would sound fantastic today, too.

So can anyone explain why no one tries to stack speakers today?

The primary reason is not all speakers can be stacked effectively due to wave interaction called comb filtering.

Drivers must be spaced "exactly" the right distance from each other for this effect to be lessened. Differing wave lengths (frequencies) require exact distances.

On the speakers where we DID stack them, like the DQ10s and ADVENTS we either got "lucky" or we ignored the combfiltering that occured.

That is my best assessment as to why it isn't common today.

Summitav

Oh yes, I remember Advents too, so I would love to hear more about this - it seems many people (including Mark Levinson) also got "lucky" with Quads.

I had a friend and audio mentor circa 1979 who was very lucky with KLH9s.

If speakers were stacled vertically, wouldn't all the drivers, on a relative basis, be similarly oriented to the listener?

I am willing to acquire another amp to run the additional 2 DQ10's if that's necessary. But I don't know how to actually wire it up via the DQ-LP1 crossover. Do you use the center two outputs, similar to what you'd do to hook up 2 more subwoofers. I want to stack the 4 DQ10s and am looking for guidance how to do that. Hey, Dean, I am about to receive 2 more DQ10s, so I'll have 6; maybe you'd like that additional pair? Summitav - I think you may have explained how to do it, but I'm a novice and don't quite understand. Currently the Tandberg amp running 2 Dq10s is more than sufficient, as is the Tandberg amp running the 2 subwoofers. Do I need a 3rd amp to run the second set of DQ10's? Thanks for all help from everyone.

If speakers were stacled vertically, wouldn't all the drivers, on a relative basis, be similarly oriented to the listener?

Because different size drivers produce diferent sized wave lengths and dispersion patterns the comb filtering occurs as those wave lengths (energy causing the air to move) interact when they encounter each other. It might be likened to small waves and large waves in a swimming pool.

The energy from both the small and large waves has an effect on each other. It is all very complex and my example is "oversimplification".

Like wave lengths like those from the tweeters if the speakers are stacked tweeter to tweeter would comb through each others energies as the dispersion from each intersected the other. The effect of the energy (wave distortion) is what causes the filtering, as they tend to cancel or reduce each other to a degree.

Since I am not an acoustical engineer, I am explaining this very badly. Maybe a dual garden hose example might offer some insight.

Lets say the "tweeters" were like having two garden hoses in your hands and you have each set to "spray". As the spray from one hose spreads out and encounters the spray from the other their energies (sprays) interupt each other and cause distortions not seen in the spray for a single nozzle.

Hope that offers a small amount of a "lay" explanation of the energy interaction.

Next week we'll discuss how this causes what is called the "venetian blind effect" in large single planar drivers like the magneplanar. LOL....

Summitav - I think you may have explained how to do it, but I'm a novice and don't quite understand. Currently the Tandberg amp running 2 Dq10s is more than sufficient, as is the Tandberg amp running the 2 subwoofers. Do I need a 3rd amp to run the second set of DQ10's? Thanks for all help from everyone.

It would probably work "best" if you used an amp channel for each DQ-10 and sub.

DQ10s are probably less than 90db efficient so they like LOADS of power. As well of you ran them on one amp in parallel then that would be a large 4 ohm load.

To use another amp for the second pair simply use a Y-connector (or sometimes called a Y-splitter or cable) to split the output to run to each amp.

Hi Group - just a follow up. I went a bit over the top and ended up obtaining 6 sets of DQ10s, which are being powered by 3 Tandberg amps; the 2 Dalhquist woofers are run by another amp; and to supplement the bottom end - I added 2 Klipsch powered 12" subwoofers to the system. I was able to find industrical strength metal racking at Lowe's and configured in three stacks, so essentially they are stacked three upon three (left and right). Yep it goes all the way to the ceiling, I call it my "wall of sound"; so far no neighbors have called the fuzz.

Post some pictures I've gotta see this!

Trying to figure out how to post picture here. Any ideas?

so far no neighbors have called the fuzz.

I haven't heard that term in about 40 years!!!!

Pictures: you need to set up a virtual system. Go to your My Page to set up your system. Once there it will guide you as to posting and naming your system and components with pictures you can load to the website. It is pretty easy.