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06yukonPA

Joined Jun 17, 2026
1
Hello. First time poster. I didn't know where exactly I should post this so if I'm in the wrong area I'd appreciate a nudge in the right direction. Otherwise I'm having a little trouble coming up with an answer to a question about speakers. I currently have a PA system in my vehicle to do announcements at public events but it's not quite loud enough even though it is a 200w rated system with a rather compact yet heavy 200w rated speaker. I bought an additional 200w speaker but was wondering how I should wire it and how to amplify it to basically be a 400w system as far as the speakers are concerned. I have little to no info on the system or speakers other than the system is rated 200w and so is the speaker. I scoured the Internet for info on the system but I purchased it from a Chinese website and it came with a very basic wiring diagram but no info. I'm guessing the speaker isn't 200w rms nor is the system. The only other info I was able to get was that the setup was 8 ohms. Can someone please direct me on how to double the speakers and wattage to it safely without damaging anything. I would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
 
Maybe start again. 2 x 500W stereo D class amplifiers are not expensive. I’m always skeptical of quoted power of audio amplifiers but D Class amps are really efficient and can be surprisingly small. For speakers, I’d consider using automotive speakers as they tend to be really good, maybe put them in a DIY box and four in one box (series and parallel) should work well. Second hand speakers are often available inexpensively online because people like to upgrade to something better, but the standard speakers are probably fine for a PA system
 

crutschow

Joined Mar 14, 2008
38,537
Adding a speaker won't necessarily make the output louder.
What is the source of the audio to the amplifier?
You just might need more gain in the amplifier.
Can you post a picture of the amplifier and controls?
 

Ian0

Joined Aug 7, 2020
13,158
You need some horn-loaded speakers
https://cpc.farnell.com/adastra/mh3...6150&s_kwcid=AL!5616!3!224680541983!!!network}!803748105767!&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=945736535&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi8nRBhDhARIsAHZf_pa7JqOfbqt7xUHTVoj50VFIT_UFOJrnVsNAEfObk7Z2gSgHcStVu8UaAoD5EALw_wcB
That gives you 111dB @ 1W @ 1m, over a fairly limited bandwidth, what you would need for voice announcements,
The usual hi-fi speakers are somewhere around 85dB @ 1W @ 1m, and that gain in efficiency is like having an amplifier that is 400 times more powerful.
Car speakers tend to be dreadfully efficient as they are usually designed with heavy cones to produce deep bass, and than decreases efficiency even further.
 
@Ian0 link not working.
Working now.
We hooked up a 16 inch horn speaker similar to the link to the PA output on a CB Radio. DANG! That thing was LOUD! So, yes, that's the way to make public addresses.

Camp administrator was complaining he could hear us all the way out in the back 40.
 
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A "200 watt speaker fed by a 20 watt amplifier will not be as loud as it could be.

BUT we have no hint at all about what kind of speaker. Just like in post #5, a healthy horn speaker willbe much louder, with the same power input. BUT a horn speaker is rather poor sounding for music. Some of them are much worse than THAT, even
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
34,860
For PA output you need a horn speaker. What you probably bought is a low frequency woofer.

For the sound to carry, you need to reduce the bass frequencies and amplify the mid-range frequencies.
 
If the intention is to deliver music, a fairly uniform frequency response is the standard requirement. For voice announcements, a much narower frequency range is adequate. For voice announcements only, the frequency range of 200 to 2000 Hz should be adequate. For good music projection, that range is rather inadequate, it is poor.
 

Ian0

Joined Aug 7, 2020
13,158
If the intention is to deliver music, a fairly uniform frequency response is the standard requirement. For voice announcements, a much narower frequency range is adequate. For voice announcements only, the frequency range of 200 to 2000 Hz should be adequate. For good music projection, that range is rather inadequate, it is poor.
You just need bigger horns, they increase in volume by a factor of 8 for every extra octave.
 
Consider that the TS has given no informatio EXCEPT the power rating of the speaker.
AND, understand that a "PA system" horn speaker is intended for voice frequency only, and does VERY POORLY for music. I experienced that First-hand many years ago! A 25 watt trumpet horn speaker, NEW, fed by a 20 watt HIFI amplifier, did a poor job of providing music. NO BASS below about 300 Hz! Plenty of treble, though. A horn speaker for musichas to be VERY BIG, I later discovered.
Cone speakers are great for music and OK for small area PA systems, such as school classrooms and offices. And they are adequately efficient. They have the added benefit of being adequate for music reproduction, because of better freequency response, and not having that serious bass cutoff property.
 
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MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
34,860
Hello. First time poster. I didn't know where exactly I should post this so if I'm in the wrong area I'd appreciate a nudge in the right direction. Otherwise I'm having a little trouble coming up with an answer to a question about speakers. I currently have a PA system in my vehicle to do announcements at public events but it's not quite loud enough even though it is a 200w rated system with a rather compact yet heavy 200w rated speaker. I bought an additional 200w speaker but was wondering how I should wire it and how to amplify it to basically be a 400w system as far as the speakers are concerned. I have little to no info on the system or speakers other than the system is rated 200w and so is the speaker. I scoured the Internet for info on the system but I purchased it from a Chinese website and it came with a very basic wiring diagram but no info. I'm guessing the speaker isn't 200w rms nor is the system. The only other info I was able to get was that the setup was 8 ohms. Can someone please direct me on how to double the speakers and wattage to it safely without damaging anything. I would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
Post photos of the amplifier and speakers.
If available, post makes and model numbers.
 
Hello. First time poster. I didn't know where exactly I should post this so if I'm in the wrong area I'd appreciate a nudge in the right direction. Otherwise I'm having a little trouble coming up with an answer to a question about speakers. I currently have a PA system in my vehicle to do announcements at public events but it's not quite loud enough even though it is a 200w rated system with a rather compact yet heavy 200w rated speaker. I bought an additional 200w speaker but was wondering how I should wire it and how to amplify it to basically be a 400w system as far as the speakers are concerned. I have little to no info on the system or speakers other than the system is rated 200w and so is the speaker. I scoured the Internet for info on the system but I purchased it from a Chinese website and it came with a very basic wiring diagram but no info. I'm guessing the speaker isn't 200w rms nor is the system. The only other info I was able to get was that the setup was 8 ohms. Can someone please direct me on how to double the speakers and wattage to it safely without damaging anything. I would really appreciate it! Thanks in advance!
Two speakers, correctly matched to an amplifier, will deliver more sound that only one speaker, matched to that amplifier.
BUT NOT twice as much sound . That is because speaker effectiveness drops a bit as they approach their maximum limits.

In addition, we have only one description of the application: "Making announcements from a car".
In my area there are a few rules as to how loud any sound system in a car may be. So that may be an issue for the TS, as well.
CERTAINLY, for making announcements to folks anywhere near the car, a set of trumpet speakers and a medium powered amplifier can be adequate. For emergency public address to folks within a few hundred feet, 50 watts into four trumpet speakers will be loud.
 
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