Mackie 808M Question

[Mike7300]

How many floor monitors can you plug into this?

[Brad1]

How many floor monitors can you plug into this?

That depends. And, there are some considerations before deciding to do that, which I'll try to explain. Are you using the entire thing as a monitor amp (using both Main and Mon outs?) You could easily plug in 4 (of the correct impedance)...one to each output. I have a feeling, though, you are using Mains for mains, and want to have four speakers for monitors?

If using Main for mains, that will leave 2 outputs from the Mon section for two monitors.

However, you COULD double up the speakers, if you use the correct impedance and wire them correctly. If Mackie wants the outputs run at 8 ohms, you'd need two 16 ohm speakers for each output, wired in parallel (one just daisy-chained to another with their parallel-connected jacks). If the manual states they have 4 ohm outputs, you could run two 8-ohm speakers in parallel from each output. (NOTE: See #3 below!)

Always try to keep the impedance of the speaker load to the manufacturers specified output impedance ratings, to be safe. Doing otherwise COULD cause amp failure.

Of course, it IS possible to run them in series, but not recommended, and you'd normally have to butcher the internal wiring of the speakers, or make a special speaker wire for each pair. (Say, two 4-ohm speakers in serial to get an 8-ohm load.) The worst part of that is that if one speaker fries and can't pass signal, the other will also not work. Running PA speakers in serial is not advised for most cases, for several reasons.

Ideally, you'd want just one proper-impedance speaker from each output, BUT you could probably get away with using a couple proper-impedance MATCHED speakers in parallel for each output. Why "matched"? Because the power ratings, frequency ratings and all other characteristics of each different brand/model speaker will force you to compromise on the level/EQ settings of both, not allowing either to utilize their full potential. If one is capable of more power, and has a different frequency response, then it will be restricted from achieving that by being forced to settle for the power/EQ settings of the other speaker to keep the inferior speaker from blowing, and vice-versa.

Actually, all the speakers in each amp section (Main, Mon) should be matched, but you can use different speakers in the Main than in the Mon. That's because each amp section has its own level and EQ controls, and each set of speakers can be adjusted independently. In fact, we used a Mackie 808S strictly as a live monitor amp running off a Mackie mixer, running a set of JBLs from the Mains and a set of Yamahas from the Mon., for four stage monitors. Each set of speakers was tweaked to their best.

For us, that worked out fine. Two of the guys seemed to want a bit more volume, and two of us needed a bit less. We gave one set of speakers to the two that wanted more...and gave them a bit more, and the other two wanting less had the other set from the other amp channel. Though each pair of us was at the mercy of one shared monitor setting, it was better than all four of being restricted to one. We compromised between the two of us, and found a workable setting we could all live with. If you connect 4 speakers to the two Mon. outputs, all four people are going to be at the mercy of one single monitor mix...levels, EQs, vocal mix...everything. I would almost guarantee, at least ONE of you is going to complain about something in the monitor...until it gets changed...when that causes someone else to complain.

Anyway, IF you are careful, you can likely run four speakers from the two outputs, but consider ALL the following before doing anything.

#1. Make sure all four speakers match....brand and model....so there is a fighting chance of getting them to work their best.

#2. Make sure the speakers can be daisy-chained in parallel, usually with a pair of 1/4" jacks on the back. (Most can.) You can just run one cable from the Mackie to the closest speaker, and then another cable from that speaker to the other. (Unless, of course, you want to buy/make two speaker-level "Y" cables (one male to two female) to run each speaker cable right to the back of the Mackie. Then, again, that just creates more points of possible failure, and possible signal degradation from more dirty/oxidized contacts).

#3. Make sure that their combined parallel impedance from each pair matches Mackie's stated output impedance rating, and check to make sure if it's for each physical output, or if it's combined as one total impedance for the pair of outputs.

#4. While you are at it, make sure your speaker load on the Mains is proper.

Maybe, let us know what you have, and what you are considering?

Good luck.

Brad1

[Mike7300]

Thanks Brad. Yes I will be using two speakers in the main, I have Yamaha S115V speakers.

I should be ok for now with just using two monitors. Just was wondering for future use when I have a full on band if it was possible to use more than two if needed.

[Jazz P Bass]

As Brad stated, it all depends on the load on the amp.