Speaker Wiring

I think the extra amp with its own volume control like mentioned, would be the best solution for your setup.

I personally haven't heard these myself. The model 100 seems to have been around for a long time, and seems to be liked. The model 102 is similar, but a little more power, and new clipping lights. I don't know how long the 102 has been around. I wouldn't know what model to choose myself, except I like the model 100's record.

OK - thanks Al. I really appreciate the help.
Jim

The specs on the 102 suggest that it doesn't have much more current capability than the 100, and the 100 seems to be much more popular, having far more user comments at Amazon (mostly favorable). So I would go with the 100. I suspect it will do fine, especially considering the modest volume requirement.

Regards,
-- Al

Thanks Al.

The kitchen speakers are already wired in parallel, and that's not changing without my opening up the ceiling (not happening).

Since it's kitchen the volume "probably" won't be going too high - but you never know. Should I just go with the Audio Source AMP 102?

Any budget conscious recommendations?

The AudioSource AMP-100 looks interesting, for a very low price, although I have no particular familiarity with it. It includes a volume control, which would allow you to adjust the relationship between the volume of the speakers it is powering and the volume of the other speaker. Here are links to the manual and manufacturer's description.

... purchase a separate power amplifier and drive the Energy speakers in series from that.

That amp is rated to drive 4 ohms, corresponding to two 8 ohm speakers in parallel. It's hard to predict how well it would handle driving the two Energy speakers in parallel, in part because the range of frequencies at which they dip to their 4 ohm minimum (which would be 2 ohms for the parallel combination) is not specified. It might be worth trying the parallel connection, though. A series connection would in effect convert the 50 watt amp into approximately a 12.5 watt amp as far as each speaker is concerned, since each speaker would see only half of the voltage the amp is supplying (1/2 voltage = 1/4 power). The amp is rated to supply 61 watts into 4 ohms, or 30.5 watts into each of the speakers if they are paralleled.

If you try the parallel connection, listen for signs of distortion on musical peaks, especially on drum beats and other high volume bass notes.

Regards,
-- Al

Thanks Marakanetz but they're not active.

Thanks, I think I understood. Sorry about the error re: JM Lab vs. JBL but yes, they're JM Labs Micron Carats.

I do want to play all simultaneously so I'll leave the JM Lab's directly connected to the Creek, purchase a separate power amplifier and drive the Energy speakers in series from that.

Any budget conscious recommendations?

If you have active speakers you can wire them from RCA tape outputs.

Tape outputs cannot be used to drive speakers, because they can't supply significant power (and also because the volume at tape outputs is not controlled by the volume control). And depending on the design of the amp it is possible that it could be damaged if speakers are connected to those outputs.

There is no direct relation between the 4 ohm and 8 ohm impedances and the volume level. It depends on the sensitivity or efficiency of the particular speaker (i.e., the sound pressure level (spl) the speaker produces in response to a given input voltage or power level). For a given input voltage, a 4 ohm speaker will draw twice as much power as an 8 ohm speaker, but that does not mean twice the volume. Based on a quick check, it appears that your two speakers have roughly comparable efficiencies. I believe it's "JMLab Micron Carat," btw, not "JBL Micron Carat."

I don't think that there is a good way of connecting all three speakers to the Creek 4330 if you want to have them all playing at once. There are some references on the web to the 4330 being able to drive 1 ohm loads briefly, but these instructions from Creek state "not recommended for use into more than two pairs of 8 ohm loudspeakers."

If you don't want to play the speakers simultaneously, get a switch box as Sfar suggested. If you do want to play them all at once, I think that the best approach would be to purchase a separate power amplifier, drive it from the pre-out (not tape out) connections of the Creek, and either use it to power the 4 ohm speaker while using the Creek to power the two 8 ohm speakers in parallel, or vice versa.

Some comments on other possible connection arrangements: Series connection of the 4 ohm speaker with either or both of the 8 ohm speakers would resolve the impedance problem, but would probably affect sonics adversely (series connection of dissimilar speakers will result in compromised sonics, unless their impedance vs. frequency characteristics happen to be similar). Series connection of the 8 ohm speakers with each other, with the 4 ohm speaker in parallel with that combination, MIGHT work in a semi-reasonable manner, but would probably be marginal in terms of both the overall impedance (nominally 3.2 ohms) and the volume level that could be attained on the series-connected 8 ohm speakers.

Regards,
-- Al

You won't be able to use the tape out connectors because they are not controlled by the amp's volume control. I would use a speaker switch box that will handle the impedance issue.