You can wire 6 speakers to a 4 channel amp by using a parallel connection where you insert multiple speaker wires into a single channel on your amp. You can also make a series connection where you daisy chain speakers together.
I’m Donovan, and I’ve been making music and recording for most of my adult life. I also have lots of experience with home audio and have set up many stereo systems over the years. I know through first-hand experience how to wire speakers to amps.
This post will show you how to wire a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers. I’ll walk you through the steps to make this happen in a few ways and give you some related information. My goal is to help you get your sound system set up quickly.
Let’s get rolling.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- While it is possible to wire a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers, it’s not as effective as using a 6-channel amp.
- You can put multiple speaker wires into the same input on a 4-channel amp to get 6 speakers to work. This is often called a parallel connection.
- You can also connect 6 speakers to one another in a series, allowing you to get 6 or more speakers in line with a 4-channel amp.
- Both methods for connecting 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp present possible problems such as an amp overheating or loss of audio quality.
Initial Thoughts
Before we get into the details of wiring 6 speakers to a 4 channel amp, it’s important to know that doing this is the ideal solution for superior audio quality. While it is possible to make this wiring work, you can encounter several problems along the way.
Using a 6-channel amp for a 6-speaker setup is the ideal way to go about using that many speakers for your audio system. This will spread power out properly to each individual speaker, and you won’t lose audio quality or overheat the amp.
If you are an audiophile looking for superior audio quality, I don’t recommend connecting 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp. You’ll be dealing with lower audio quality, and can potentially damage your amp, leading to the need for a replacement.
But if you already have a 4-channel amp lying around or aren’t concerned about the issues with wiring up to 6 speakers, it’s not hard to do and will get sound out of all the speakers. It’s just a better idea to use a 6-channel amp for this job.
How to Wire a 4 Channel Amp to 6 Speaker
You can connect 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp in two different ways. I’ll walk you through both of those in this section and also provide you with some pros and cons for each. Both of these methods are easy to do, and you don’t need any special skills to make it happen.
But keep in mind my advice from the section above before getting started. Again, doing either of these wiring setups isn’t as effective as using a 6-channel amp for 6 speakers. That is the correct way to wire everything for this sort of setup.
How to Wire a 4 Channel Amp to 6 Speakers Using a Parallel Connection
The first way you can try wiring 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp is by using a parallel connection. This basically means that you connect multiple speaker wires into the same speaker input on your amp.
You don’t need any special equipment to make this happen, and all you’ll really need is speaker wire and maybe some wire strippers. If you have wired your speakers into an amp before, the process here is the same.
For a parallel connection, you will connect two speakers into a single input on the amp. And you’ll need to double up twice to make it work. Since you only have 4 channels, 2 will be doubled up in a parallel connection, and two will only have a single speaker wired in.
Follow these steps to wire a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers using a parallel connection:
1. Get your speakers set up in your listening room where you want them.
2. Cut lengths of speaker wire for all six speakers to run from where you have them set up to wherever the amp is located. Leave yourself about a foot of extra room on each end of the wire in case you need it.
3. Strip the ends of the speaker wire to expose about a half-inch to an inch of bare speaker wire.
4. Connect one set of speakers to the first two channels of your amp. Be sure to connect the positive wire to the positive terminal and the negative to the negative.
5. Connect the other end of the wire to your first set up speakers, again connecting the positive terminal to positive wire and negative to negative.
6. Connect your next set of speaker wires to the same channel on the amp you used for the first set of wires. Connect the positive wire to positive terminal and negative to negative. Be sure that both sets of wires are firmly attached to the amp.
7. Connect the other end of the wires to your second set of speakers, matching the wires to the next terminal.
8. Now connect your last two speaker wires to the two remaining open channels on your amp, matching the terminals correctly.
9. Connect the other end of the speaker wire to the proper terminals on your last set of speakers.
10. Turn your system on and check for sound from all 6 speakers.
The downside to using the parallel connection method is that you are overloading two channels on your amp with multiple speakers. This can cause the amp to heat up and generate more power than it’s designed to do.
Over the long run, this overloading can lead to failure with your speakers or amp. Since you are pushing more power into the speakers from the amp, the amp works harder and will eventually wear out. There is more wear and tear on your equipment here.
How to Wire a 4 Channel Amp to 6 Speakers Using a Series Connection
The other way to wire 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp is to use a series connection, where you basically daisy chain multiple speaker sets together. This is another easy and effective method, and you don’t risk overpowering your amp and speakers this way.
The downside to the series connection is that it results in lower audio quality because you are spreading the audio signal out over more speakers without powering each speaker from the amp. This audio loss is pretty noticeable, especially if you have a good ear.
Follow these steps to wire a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers using a series connection:
1. Position your six speakers in your listening room how you want them.
2. Cut enough lengths of speaker wire to connect 4 of the speakers to the amp and expose a half-inch to an inch of bare wire on each.
3. Cut another two lengths of wire to run between one set of speakers (connected to the amp) to your 5th and 6th speakers in the room.
4. Connect the first two speakers to the first two channels on the amp, matching the wires to the proper terminals.
5. Connect the other end of the wires to the corresponding speakers.
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 for the second two speakers.
7. Now, you’ll connect an additional speaker wire to two of the speakers that are already wired to the amp. Make sure both sets of wires are secure and in the proper terminal.
8. Connect the other end of the wire to the last two speakers.
9. Turn on your system and check the audio.
How to Wire a 6 Channel Amp to 6 Speakers
If you want to go the proper route for a 6-speaker setup, you’ll want to use a 6-channel amp. This will give you a channel for each speaker, resulting in the best sound quality, and you won’t risk damaging your equipment.
To wire this setup, you just need to run a speaker wire from each speaker into the corresponding speaker input on your amp. Just be sure to connect the wires to the proper terminals and double-check that they are secure and in place.
The process for wiring any size of amp to any number of speakers is the same. You just need to have more speaker wire to accommodate more speakers.
FAQs
Here are a few quick answers to some of the most commonly asked questions related to how to wire a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers.
How many speakers can I connect to a 4 channel amp?
For the best audio quality and to reduce wear and tear on your equipment, you should only connect 4 speakers to a 4-channel amp. Connecting 6 or more speakers to the amp through parallel or series connections is possible, but it’s not ideal.
How do I connect my 4 channel amp to 6 speakers?
You can connect your 4-channel amp to 6 speakers by either doubling up your wired connections to the back of the amp for a parallel connection or daisy chaining any two sets of speakers together for a series connection.
What channel amp do I need for 6 speakers?
Using a 6 channel amp is the ideal way to connect 6 speakers. You’ll get the best audio quality with a 6-channel amp and won’t risk overloading your equipment. But you can use a 4-channel amp and connect multiple speaker lines to the same amp channel.
Does each speaker need its own channel on an amp?
Each speaker of your audio setup should ideally have its own channel on an amp. This will result in the best audio quality and is how the system is supposed to be set up. But you can get away with plugging multiple speakers into a single channel.
Final Thoughts
Wiring a 4-channel amp to 6 speakers through a parallel connection means you’ll connect multiple speaker wires into the same channel on the amp. You can also make a series connection and daisy chain two sets of speakers together.
Remember that using a 6-channel amp is the best setup for 6 speakers. While connecting 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp is possible, you won’t get that great of sound quality and can risk ruining your equipment faster than when doing it correctly.
Have you ever connected 6 speakers to a 4-channel amp? Did you have any issues in the long run? Let me know in the comments below.
