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HiFiBerry AMP2 - can I bridge the outputs to power a passive subwoofer and some tiny speakers?

Alec DANILA

January 31, 2022 19:00

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Hi!

My question may sound stupid (or at least naive) but I would like to know if I can somehow bridge the outputs of the HiFiBerry AMP2 to power a configuration of 1 passive subwoofer and 2-4 small drivers I have from a 5.1 Cat configuration I no longer use. I want to build some sort of boombox using the said subwoofer (and the additional tiny drivers) and I couldn't find any 2.1 solution designed for RPi. I thought I could use instead some crossover, but I have to connect/bridge both L and R to the same crossover that feeds the subwoofer for the lows and the drivers. Not sure how to do that without the risk of burning something.

Thanks!

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4 comments

• 0
  
  Guilherme Mauricio February 01, 2022 01:38

  Hi. Total noob here, so I might be talking bollocks. But I couldn't let a fellow HiFiBerry user unanswered.

  You could look for an amp that has SPDIF input. HiFiBerry's options don't seem promising in this regard; you would need two Beocreate boards, and that would take a little fussing around. A cheaper alternative would be one Beocreate and one amp+SPDIF from another maker. The Beocreate would power the main speakers with it's two 60W channels, and the satellites with it's two 30W channels. The SPDIF optical cable would take the signal to another RPi, with another two channel amp, and would power the subwoofer and center speaker. They could be all housed in the subwoofer.

  I have two B&O RL60.2 (with the RL6000 profile), each with it's own Beocreate and Pi, connected via SPDIF for a stereo setup, while only one of them has input sources. This speaker then drives the second one via optical cable.

  I have also set up a little "interaction" to change the volume to max on the "receiving" speaker on start up.

  Waiting patiently for Shairport-Sync to mature and allow for a true wireless multiroom setup.

   

  I only have experience with the Beocreate, but I can tell you this: both the hardware and software from HiFiBerry are top notch, and these guys deserve a praise!

• 0
  
  6515cg February 09, 2022 12:57

  "I have two B&O RL60.2 (with the RL6000 profile), each with it's own Beocreate and Pi, connected via SPDIF for a stereo setup"

  For such a stereo setup you only need one Pi if you use HifiberryOS. Just follow the installation options for the RL6000 profile. You use one Pi to program the profile first for the 'slave' and secondly to the 'master' Beocreate. So at the end this Pi is on the 'master' Beocreate. From here the SPDIF out goes to SPDIF in of the Beocraete 'Slave' .

  I suppose you can use the 'other profile' from HifiberryOS. The result is a 2x4 channel amplifier that can connect with  your 5 speakers. But its only 2.0 stereo. Its cheaper to use one Beocreate and connect  the 4 small drivers in pairs on the first two channels and the subwoofer on the third. The fourth is not needed.

  Edited by 6515cg February 09, 2022 12:58
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  Alec DANILA February 09, 2022 14:07

  @Guilherme Mauricio @6515cg

  Thank you both for your help and suggestions. What I was really looking for (and I am sure I misformulated my question) was a solution to bridge the speaker connections on the HifiBerry Amp2 (to go from stereo to mono, in other words) and then use a passive crossover to split the signal to the subwoofer (for lows) and the drivers (for highs). In the end, I want to build a 2 way boombox powered by HifiBerry Amp2.

  Does it make sense?

• 0
  
  Guilherme Mauricio February 16, 2022 14:50

  You want an AMP2 to drive a center channel and a subwoofer only, right?

  Yes. In software you set both channels to mono. One goes to the sub, the other goes to the full range center channel.

  Passive crossovers where needed.