You’re interested in an AmpliPro home audio system? Congratulations! You’re on your way to enjoying high-quality, multi-room audio. But to get the most out of your system, you need to choose the right speakers. This post describes six crucial things to keep in mind when shopping for speakers: amplifier specifications, speaker impedance, speaker power, speaker types, room placement and acoustics, and speaker wire. Then I give an example of what speakers I purchased for my personal home set up. This post will highlight the specs of the AmpliPro, but the information should also be applicable to other kinds of amplifiers.

Amplifier Specs

How many speakers does your amplifier support? What are the speaker power specs?
The base AmpliPro controller supports 6 zones. Each zone supports 2 speakers each (a left and right channel) at an impedance down to 4 ohms. It is expandable up to 36 zones using AmpliPro Expanders. Adding to that, each zone output has corresponding RCA outputs (preamp outputs). They can be used to connect powered subwoofers and other active/powered speakers.
Note: the Preamp outputs scale in level along with the powered speaker outputs based on the zone volume.

In summary you can use the base AmpliPro for a simple home audio system of 6 zones. Or you could use an AmpliPro plus up to five Expander units for a small building, with up to 36 different zones.

Impedance Matters: 4 ohm vs 6 ohm vs 8 ohm speakers?

The AmpliPro is designed to work with speakers ranging from 4 to 8 ohms. But here’s the kicker: the power output varies depending on the impedance. With 4-ohm speakers, you’ll get 55 Watts Per Channel (WPC), while 8 ohm speakers will receive 32 WPC. If you’re looking for maximum power, 4 ohm speakers are the way to go. However, 8 ohm speakers are more common and might offer more variety.
To reiterate: A 4 ohm speaker has a lower resistance, thus having a higher acoustic energy. An 8 ohm speaker has more resistance and less energy output. Therefore at the same volume position it will be less loud.

Having shopped around a bit for speakers, there are few options for 4 ohm speakers but a fair amount of 6 ohm speakers available. Keep that in mind when finding the right speaker for you.

Please Note: If you’re using an Amplifier other than the AmpliPro be sure to check the specifications. Using low impedance speakers with an amplifier not designed for it can damage the amplifier.

Power Handling is Key

Make sure your chosen speakers can handle the power output of the amplifier. While the system won’t always operate at full power, with the AmpliPro it’s best to choose speakers that can comfortably handle at least 55 watts for 4-ohm models or 32 watts for 8-ohm models. This ensures your speakers can manage the AmpliPro’s output without distortion or damage.

Note The quoted numbers for the AmpliPro are in RMS power: Root mean square or simply RMS watts refers to continuous power handling of a speaker or a subwoofer or how much continuous power an amplifier can output. RMS values are usually lower than peak watts ratings, but they represent what a unit is truly capable of handling.

What are the different types of speakers?

In-wall speakers: These speakers are installed directly into your walls, offering a sleek, unobtrusive look. They’re ideal for multi-room setups where you want high-quality sound without sacrificing floor or shelf space.

Ceiling Speakers: Mounted in the ceiling, these speakers provide even sound distribution and are excellent for creating an immersive audio experience. They’re particularly useful in open floor plans or rooms where wall space is limited.

Bookshelf Speakers: Compact and versatile, bookshelf speakers can be placed on shelves, stands, or tables. They offer flexibility in placement and often provide excellent sound quality for their size.

Floor Stand Speakers: Also known as tower speakers, these larger units typically offer fuller sound with better bass response. They’re ideal for larger rooms or as main speakers in a primary listening area.

Dual Voice Speakers: These speakers have two voice coils in a single speaker, allowing for stereo sound from one unit. They can be useful in smaller spaces where you want stereo sound but have limited room for multiple speakers. They’re a good choice for smaller rooms, like bathrooms or laundry rooms.

Outdoor Speakers: Designed to withstand the elements, these are perfect for extending your audio system to patios, decks, or gardens.

Subwoofers: These enhance low-frequency performance, adding depth to your audio across all zones. If you like bass a subwoofer is a must.

Active vs Passive:

• Passive Speakers: These don’t have built-in amplification and are what you’ll primarily use with the AmpliPro. They rely on the AmpliPro’s built-in amplifier for power.
• Active Speakers: These have built-in amplifiers. They can be connected to the preamp outputs for additional flexibility in your setup.

Consider Room Sizes and Acoustics

Make a plan for the whole house, for how many speakers, what kind of speakers, and where those speakers will go. A large living room or conference room might be better suited to have 4 or 6 speakers plus a subwoofer. A small bathroom might not have the space for 2 speakers instead a single dual voiced speaker may suffice. Outdoor speakers on your deck or patio can be a nice addition to your set up. Also consider the physical size of the speakers in the space itself. If there isn’t room for floorstand speakers, bookshelf speakers may be the go to. Installing ceiling speakers may even be a better option. Some ceiling speakers even have pivoting tweeter/voice coils, which can be great for redirecting sound in the listening environment.

Acoustics play a crucial role in your home audio experience, often as important as the quality of your speakers and amplifier. Hard surfaces like walls, floors, and ceilings reflect sound waves, creating echoes and reverberations that can muddy the audio quality. To improve your room’s acoustics, consider adding soft furnishings like curtains, carpets, or acoustic panels to absorb excess sound. The placement of your speakers also matters; try to position them away from corners and maintain symmetry in relation to your primary listening area. For larger rooms, consider using multiple speakers to ensure even sound distribution. In smaller spaces, be wary of overpowering the room with too much bass. Remember, every room is unique, so don’t be afraid to experiment with speaker placement and room treatments to find the sweet spot that provides the best listening experience in your specific environment.

Speaker Wire

When installing your speakers, especially for in-wall setups, use CL2 or CL3 rated speaker wire. This is a fire safety rating and is often required by electrical codes for in-wall installations. Also, try to avoid running speaker wires parallel to AC power lines to minimize interference. If you must cross AC lines, do so at a 90-degree angle.

12 awg, 14 awg or 16 awg Speaker wire?
First, wire diameter is measured as American Wire Gauge, abbreviated to AWG. And counter intuitively the bigger the number, the smaller the wire diameter.
Second, the longer a length of wire the more electrical resistance it has. For example if you have 4 ohm speakers connected by 100 feet of 16 awg speaker wire, between 30-40% of power will be lost. Meaning the speakers won’t be as loud. Using a 12 awg wire for the same length and speaker, only 15% of the power is lost.

As a general rule anything under 50 feet 16 awg is fine. Over that you should go with 14 or 12 awg wire. If you’re running lengths of wire longer than 100 feet you may want to consider even thicker gauges of speaker wire. See the power loss by wire length chart below for a more detailed explaniation.

Recommended Speaker wire: Anything that is pure copper NOTHING that is CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)

These cord hiders can be nice, making your cords less visible: 128in Wall Cord Hider.
If you have a large project, this is a pretty good deal on speaker wire 500ft roll
I found this reddit thread on speaker wire to be quite informative: Reddit thread

Bonus: Here are the speakers I bought for my home

I bought 2 pairs of each of these speakers: NEUMI BS5 + RIOWOIS 30 Watts

My house is only 1,200 square feet and I only had $500 to spend. With my space considerations, I don’t need huge speakers. Also my use of them will be for chill music around the house, and maybe an occasional party, but I’m not going to be throwing any ragers.

The speakers I bought are perfect for the size of the spaces I’m installing them in. And they fit the budget. If my budget was much larger I’m sure I would have purchased much “better” speakers. But considering what I will use them for, I don’t really need “better” speakers.

The speaker specs I wanted were higher wattage and lower ohms. I went with 100 watt 6 ohm speakers. For my larger kitchen and living room space. And for my bathroom and bedroom: I went with smaller and cheaper 30 watt 6 ohm speakers.

I went with bookshelf speakers primarily because I’m not drilling large holes to install ceiling speakers, that’s too much work for what I’m looking to do. Bookshelf speakers are the right fit for me. And I simply like the look of them aesthetically.

I bought pure copper 12g speaker wire for the whole project, after the longer runs I had enough of it left over to finish the project for the shorter runs: Monoprice Access Series 12 awg

Oh and I would have purchased a subwoofer, but a friend had an extra one to give me otherwise I would have purchased this one: Edifier T5 Powered Subwoofer

I’m not saying these are the best options, these are just the products that fit the needs and budget for my home set up. There might be better options out there, in fact I’m sure there are, but this is what was right for me.

Conclusion:

Selecting the right speakers for your home audio system is a crucial step in creating an immersive and high-quality listening experience throughout your home or workspace. By considering factors such as amplifier specifications, speaker impedance, power handling, speaker types, room acoustics, and proper wiring, you can make informed decisions that best suit your space and audio preferences.
Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to home audio. As demonstrated in my personal setup, your choices should reflect your specific needs, budget, and living space. Whether you opt for sleek in-wall speakers, versatile bookshelf models, or a mix of different types, the key is to create a system that brings you joy and enhances your daily life with great sound.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and adjust your setup over time. As you live with your system, you may discover new ways to optimize its performance or areas where you’d like to upgrade. The beauty of a flexible system like AmpliPro is that it grows with you, allowing you to continually refine your home audio experience.
So, armed with this knowledge, go forth and create the perfect soundscape for your home. Happy listening!