A post I recently read described hooking up a second center speaker with a parallel connection to the Z5500 to enhance mids and volume...first off, where can I get the second speaker, does it need to be that same exact one?
Also, how do I hook up the speaker in a paralell connection, what does that mean?

As long as the speaker has the same impedience, which I believe is 8-ohms, and roughly the same frequency response, you shouldn't have a problem.

As for the parallel hookup, Post merely installed a 1/4-inch phono jack in the back of the first speaker, then connected the wires from the primary speaker to the jack. Now all he has to do is plug the second center speaker into the first using a short instrument cable. while there is an impedience mismatch using this wiring technique, the system apparently has more than enough power to overcome this.

Nothin' to it!

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

thanks alot Gary...not being the best DIY guy, i'll probably just deal with what im using in the band now (the one speaker).

while your online, hopefully, theres one more issue I need to adress...im hooking up a microKORG and an Alesis QS6.1 to a small yamaha mixer into the Z5500 system. the sound is great, but at some points it gets fuzzy when its real loud with some effects. im trying to find out the best way to amplify my sound so it comes out the best quality... the volume on the Z5500 is all the way up but without going into the boost, and the keyboards are at about 50%, and the first gain knobs on the mixer almost all the way up , the second gain knobs 75% way up and the master volume on the mixer about 50%...where should I be turning up the volume in this whole setup, so that my sound quality will be affected the least?
finally, at times i smell a slight burning smell when I play loud with my band, and I suspect its coming from my setup somewhere...is this normal?

is it true taht i should amplify the sound earliest in the signal? ive tried this but it didnt seem any different

I've never experienced a burning smell using the Z-5500 system, and the best way to determine if something is being overdriver is to place your hand on the heat sink located on the back of the sub. It should be warm to the touch--but not hot.

As for your hookup, without seeing and hearing it first hand it's tough for me to diagnose. This is one you will have to experiment with until you get the best sound quality.

Good Luck,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy

Bthmedicinetree:

I also have smelled something that smells like something getting hot. ty2 and on long loud songs. Its very faint and smells like the new is burning off. I had the same thing when I first got the psr9000, after a few times it quit.

I was concerned the first time but Its getting less the last couple of times???

Don't know what it could be unless there is a cooling fan or something thats kicking on when the temp gets to a certain point????

Its coming from the tyros, the z5500 is barely warm on the fins.........


Pose

k, i guess its not that much of an issue...ill check the back of the sub next practice...i appreciate the help!
thanks

I've decided I'd try to hook up a second center speaker to my Z5500,
Is this the 1/4" phono jack I need?
http://www.music123.com/Switchcraft-1-4-inch-Phono-Jack-i61473.music

I've been searching for "8 ohm speaker" on ebay and I can't seem to find much except guitar amp speakers, can anyone help?

I don't fully understand the hookup as you explained it Gary, what is the primary speaker you mentioned? I install the phono jack to the back of the center speaker, connect 2 little 1" pieces of speaker wire from the center speaker to the phono jack, then also plug in the speaker wires from the sub to the center speaker, and use an instrument cable from the center speaker to the new speaker...is this correct?

Bthmed

Thats the female plug, you'll need a male also for the cable. You can also just jumper a piece of wire across to test and see if you like the second speaker before you start drilling holes in your speaker.

8 ohm speakers are very common and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Usually ohms is posted somewhere or in the owners manual that comes with it.

How big you get sort of depends on what your after. I just added a second one scavaged from another logitech. Radio shack has some small (about 3") 8 ohms speakers (home theater type) and I think you can get them with the housing also.

If you just want a bit more mid range/volume and better monitoring for yourself the above works fine. Gary's not here to advise, but I sort of got the Idea he was going to do away with the logitech center speaker and just go to a larger (5" to maybe 8") single center speaker which will probably be great.
I would rather have one on each side of me for better hearing for me. You can even put a large 15" combo club speaker 8 ohm in its place and blow yourself out of the room.

Hope this helps you some..........Pose

Bthmed

I left the computer in the middle of drafting the above, you sneaked one in on me.

You got the drift thats how its done only use a piece of the orignal speaker wire (or similar) and make it about 4" long. This makes it easier to get everything back in the enclosure. (unless you got skinny fingers about 8 inches long HE HE

pose

[This message has been edited by loungelyzard (edited 03-27-2006).]

k, sounding good so far...
Basically the idea of this is to get more volume and less distortion because I'm competing with a loud band...I can cut through fine but at that point i feel its a bit too distorted.
So if I add a PASSIVE 10" club speaker paralell hooked up to the center speaker, will this boost my volume a bit? or do I need an active speaker?
I was looking at this on ebay, its in my price range...look like it will work for what I need? http://cgi.ebay.com/Club-Pro-LK-619-10-1...1QQcmdZViewItem

bth ... Starting bid of $70 and shipping of $40 ??? ... You are in Cranston ...why not go to Luca's music in North Providence or Guitar Center in West Warwick or any other local store that sells speakers ... find out what their return policy is and see if you can try it at home with YOUR gear ... then if you want you can spend the $110 and get a better speaker ...
I tried a passive (I figure you mean non-powered) 15" with 2 tweeters as the center speakers and it rocked ...
t.

oo nvm, i thought that was the buy it now price.

how about somehting like this?
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Speakers?sku=609022
doesnt say how many ohms tho. think its 8?

or http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Live/Sound/Speakers?sku=600815

both of these are at my local guitar center, so if theyll work ill buy them, look ok?

wait- if I replace the center speakers with one of those large ones instead of doing the whole paralell hookup, ill still get more volume right? since ill be using a big 10"+ speaker instead of the center speaker? id much rather do this if possible because I dont want to drill and stuff...

bth ... When I replaced the center spkr with the 15" cab, I could turn up the volume on the center and not really need the other sats ... I don't know what kind of band you play with, but you should be able to cut through ...
t.

PS ... I like the idea of the 12" + horn, but at least take the specs of the Logitech spkrs with you and see if a sales rep at GC can give you some advice ...
t.

I was persuaded by a salesman at guitar center to get a used pair of JBL EON 15 speakers (both powered) for $320, this a good deal? Do you think I'll be able to cut through my band better with this pair rather than the Logitech Z5500 system? Of course the salesman said I would, but I'd like to hear from you guys...Will I get less distortion/better quality when I crank to compete with a very loud band with this setup rather than the Z5500?

anyone? im sorry im asking so many questions but I need to know ASAP so I can return these before next practice if not suitable

You are not comparing apples to apples here. The powered Eon 15s are much louder and more efficient. They each have two amplifiers, one for highs and one for lows, with a built-in crossover. You got a great deal. Don't look back.
By the way, if the Eons get scratched up, you can smooth them out with sandpaper!
They do mark easily, but that's o.k.
DonM

[This message has been edited by DonM (edited 03-29-2006).]

thanks for the reply Don.
yes, these ones have lots and lots of marks and scratches, but the casing looked pretty rugged so im not going to worry too much about it, they do stand up to abuse well right?
thanks

if they are the older model eons, just be careful not to put too much thru them in the 40 to about 180hz range (this is mostly kick drum, and lower bass) they have a habit of blowing woofers if they get too much signal at those frequencies...it didnt seem to be a problem with later models though...
dennis

Well the only thing thats going through them is going to be keyboard, no drums so I don't think those frequencies will be there, I do play some stuff that is really low though such as low strings, this could blow my speakers you're saying?

hi, in that situation you would probably be ok, but keyboard generated instruments can produce some low notes ... a double bass's lowest note is in the same frequency range for example...though in the case of strings, it is not very often you would be down that low, and they lack the dynamic "punch" of particularly the kick drum, which has a very sharp transient peak and it is very repetitive ...BUT the first release units did have a habit of burning out their coils (commonly referred to as blowing up),or the other thing was that the cone extended so far on the particular woofer that jbl used, that the coil wires broke i am not sure of the numbers as it was hearsay amongst audio techs i dealt with, but significant enough for it to be a topic of conversation, much the same as the power supplies causing damage on behringer gear being used in australia...
bthmedicine, this is only a "heads up" as a)it happened to me and b) audio techs confirmed it was a problem with some, not all!!
dennis
PS i think JBL changed the woofer in later models..mine were the first release, which was about 1998-99 somewhere around then...