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100 volt line speaker systems


si pie

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Here you go then guys.

 

Can someone explain to me some of the theory behind 100 volt line speaker systems and how to wire thm up and the relationship between the impedance of the speaker and the amp at different tappings?

 

It's a world of darkness to me! Give me a normal speaker and amp and I'm a happy man but this confuses me!

 

I get different info everywhere I go!!

 

Thanks in advance!!

 

Si Pie

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I can't be bother explaining how it all works, but here is how you hook it up.

 

Basically, with 100V line, speakers (with integrated transformers) are connected in parallel across the 100V line. Each speaker has a power rating, or possibly several power ratings, selected by a switch or a jumper. In total, the wattages of the speakers cant add up to more than the capacity of the amplifer. Thats it, simple.

 

So if you have five speakers, of which two are rated at 5W, one at 30W and two at 10W then you need an amplifier with at least 60W of power.

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So if I read that correctly then the impedance of the speaker has nothing to do with it on a 100v system?

Correct.

 

Well, thats a lie, of course it's all to do with impedence, but with 100V line it's hidden under the covers, so you dont need to concern yourself with it. Just add up the watts, and it all works.

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look at 100V systems a little like your house wiring - it doesn't matter how many appliances you have on your circuit as long as the total is within the systems capacity to provide - so on a 100V system, each speaker is provided with a transformer with a high input impedance, so they effectively bridge the line, and then the tap controls the volume level of that individual speaker. The usefulness of 100V line is that the feeder resistance is a small value, often so small it can be almost ignored - so long runs on thin cable aren't a problem unless you are running large amounts of power, and most 100V systems don't.
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One more thing to note...

 

You may read about 70V systems - don't get confuzzled. 70V is the standard for these systems in the US.

 

I can't be bothered posting the link, but there is also a good article on the rane.com website in their technical pages.

 

Also - 100V systems dont have the clarity of a conventional setup. That said, they still certainly have their place and are worth being familiar with.

 

Dave M

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