1000 W. Wilshire Blvd.

, Suite 363 Oklahoma City, OK 73116 tel: 405-848-3108 fax: 405-848-3217

CEILING SPEAKERS
Part 2

Transformers Deliver the Power

Part 1 of the Ceiling Speakers Series discussed the smaller speakers from 4" cone to 8" coaxial. Applications that require even sound coverage usually have limited ceiling height. To cover this type of space we use a distributed system concept. Speakers are connected in parallel and equally spaced, or distributed, to cover the area. It takes time to run multiple speaker lines. It takes wire to run multiple speaker lines. Savings in labor and wire costs are immediately obvious. However, simply paralleling 57 ceiling speakers at 8 ohms each, and connecting them to a single power amplifier will not work. Why? Because a power amplifier wants to drive no less than 4 ohms and the effective load of 57 paralleled ceiling speakers is almost a short circuit! (Figure 1) The magic that makes a distributed system work is a transformer on each speaker.

Parallel Loads
1 1/R1 + 1/R2 + 1/Rn 1 1/8 (57)
= ohms

= 0.14 ohms

Figure 1

Constant Voltage?
Distributed sound systems work on the concept that power amplifiers deliver the same maximum output voltage regardless of the speaker load. Most power amplifiers are constant voltage. A power amplifier rated at 100W into 8 ohms can produce a constant voltage of 28.3V rms (Figure 2). Load this 100W power amplifier with 16 ohms and it can only produce 50W (Figure 3). Load it with 32 ohms and it can only produce 25W. Customizing load impedance can limit power from a constant voltage source! 25V or 70V systems are commonly used in the United States (25V systems are very popular in schools). 50V or 100V systems are common in other parts of the world.
P = E/R R = E/P E= P xR P = Power (watts) R = Resistance (load) E = Volts

100 x 8 = 28.3 volts

Figure 2
P = E/R R = E/P E= P xR

P = Power (watts) R = Resistance (load) E = Volts

28.3/16 = 50W
Figure 3

A distributed sound system can parallel speakers without overloading the power amplifier and select the amount of power delivered to each speaker.

70/2W = 2500
Figure 4

8 ohms

1W 2W

(5000 ohms) (2500 ohms)

Com

4W (1250 ohms) 8W (625 ohms) Com

8W / 70V Transformer

Figure 5

Impedance? Transformers have no impedance!

A 2W drop from a 70V system requires the transformer to appear as 2500 ohms (Figure 4). To simplify installation, transformers are labeled by the amount of power used when loaded with 8 ohms and connected to a specific voltage source (25V, 70V, 100V, etc). 2500 ohms for 2W @ 70V is a ratio, or step up, of 8 ohms. Internal windings dictate how much the impedance (and voltage) will step-up or step-down. Figure 5 shows the power and corresponding impedance when an 8 ohm speaker is connected to a 70V transformer rated at 8W. Connect something other than 8 ohms or 70V and the results are predictable . . .
16 ohms .5W (10000 ohms) 1W (5000 ohms) 2W (2500 ohms) 4W (1250 ohms) Com

Com

Figure 6 shows how each tap will be affected if a16 ohm speaker is connected to the 8 ohm secondary. The tap labeled 2W will become 5000 ohms and drop 1W. Figure 7 shows how each tap will be affected if a 4 ohm speaker is connected to the 8 ohm secondary. The tap labeled 2W will become 1250 ohms and drop 4W. One tap is unusable in this example would try to drop 16W and exceed the power rating of the transformer.

8W / 70V Transformer
4 ohms

Figure 6
(2500 ohms) (1250 ohms)

2W 4W

Com

8W (625 ohms) Do Not Use Com

8W / 70V Transformer

Figure 7

Distributed sound system transformers can step-up or step-down voltage. Some of the standard impedances found on a 70V transformer rated at 8W and connected to an 8 ohm speaker can match impedances for other systems. The table below shows what 70V/8W taps can be used on 25V, 100V, 140V, and 210V systems, and how much power can be delivered:
8W / 70V Transformer 25V
N/A N/A

100V

140V

210V

1W 2W 4W 8W

(10,000 ohms) (5,000 ohms) (2,500 ohms) (1,250 ohms)

2W 4W 8W
N/A

4W 8W
N/A N/A

8W
N/A

.5W 1W

N/A N/A

Power is the limiting factor for any transformer. At some point the applied power saturates the transformer core (usually at lower frequencies). The result of core saturation is a sudden drop in the impedance connected to the power amplifier. Shorting its output can force a power amplifier into protection. Repeated shorting of its output can permanently damage a power amplifier. The low frequency limit of a transformer is when it draws 10% more than rated power. An 8W transformer has reached its limit when it draws 8.8W.

Many power amplifier failures in distributed systems can be attributed directly to low frequency saturation of the speaker transformers. Utility transformers are very small and should be protected from frequencies below 100Hz. This failure potential has evolved over the years into the margin-of-safety rule (see Tip #1).

Tip # 1: Only load your distributed system power amplifier to 80% of rated power Power Loss Due To Wire Length
Wire appears as resistance in series with the speaker. Systems that have any cable between the power amplifier and the speaker will lose power to the wire (Tip #2). Larger wire has less resistance. Here is a table illustrating the resistance of standard two-wire cable at 25 lengths:
AWG 25' 50' 75' 100'

20 18 16 14 12
E1 = source volts E2 = volts on speaker R1 = wire resistance R2 = speaker impedance

0.52 ohms 0.33 ohms 0.20 ohms 0.13 ohms 0.08 ohms

1.04 ohms 0.65 ohms 0.41 ohms 0.26 ohms 0.17 ohms

1.55 ohms 0.98 ohms 0.61 ohms 0.39 ohms 0.25 ohms

2.07 ohms 1.30

ohms

0.82 ohms 0.52 ohms 0.33 ohms

E1(R2) R1 + R2

= E2

E/R = P

22V(8) = 14.7V 4+8

14.7 / 8 ohms = 27W Figure 9

Loss occurs when the wire acts like a voltage divider and cuts the amount of voltage available to the speaker. A 60W power amp driving an 8 ohm speaker can produce 22Vrms. 4 ohms of wire (200 of 20awg) drops 30% of the voltage and over half the power. This 60W power amplifier can deliver only 27W! (Figure 9). Increase the wire size to 16awg and the voltage drop is significantly reduced. Wire resistance is 1.6 ohms instead of 4 ohms. Now the same 60W power amplifier loses less than 20% of the voltage and power. (Figure 10)
3

E1(R2) R1 + R2

= E2

E1 = source volts E2 = volts on speaker R1 = wire resistance R2 = speaker impedance E/R = P

22V(8) = 18.3V 1.6 + 8

18.3 / 8 ohms = 42W Figure 10

E1(R2) = E2 R1 + R2

E/R = P

70V(83) 4 + 83

66.8/83 ohms = 53.8W = 66.8V Figure 11

Using higher voltages at moderate power levels can reduce losses to the wire. A 70V power amplifier rated at 60W wants to see a minimum load of 83 ohms. 4 ohms of wire resistance has less effect and therefore less loss. (Figure 11) Minimum load impedance deceases as available power increases and wire resistance can again become significant. A 70V power amplifier rated at 600W wants to see 8 ohms to produce 600W. 4 ohms of wire resistance can cut available power in half. (Figure 12) As with the 60W power amplifier into 8 ohms, significant improvement is gained by increasing the wire size. 16awg adds 1.6 ohms. Voltage and power loss is now less than 20%. (Figure 13)

E1(R2) = E2 R1 + R2

E/R = P

70V(8) 4+8

46.7/8 ohms = 273W = 46.7V Figure 12

E1(R2) R1 + R2

= E2

E/R = P

70V(8) 1.6 + 8

58.3/8 ohms = 425W = 58.3V Figure 13

Tip # 2: Wire has resistance and will always cause loss in speaker cables
Unless a transformer is connected directly to a power amplifiers output, wire loss will always drop available power and never allow the speaker to receive the power printed on the label! This revelation leads to tip #3 . . .

Tip # 3: Select a transformer tap that delivers 3dB more than you think you need
Selecting 4W at the transformer and sizing the power amplifier appropriately means that at least 2W will be delivered to each speaker even if half the available power is lost to the wire.

Summary
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Paralleled speakers with transformers work magic in a distributed ceiling speaker system Distributed systems can cost less to install by reducing wire and labor expenses Common distributed system voltages in the United States are 25V and 70V Other parts of the world use 50V or 100V Transformers are labeled for the amount of power they will use from a source voltage These power taps are reflected impedance from the speaker Transformers can work at other impedances and voltages until maximum power is exceeded Core saturation of a transformer can cause power amplifier failure Speaker wire always drops voltage and reduces the available power at the speaker Wire size and power amplifier rating must be carefully selected for each application