Series Or Parallel Speakers – Which is Better + Pros And Cons

Ever wondered why there’s a difference between series vs parallel speaker wiring? How about how it affects power, sound, and the speaker (Ohms) load your radio or amp sees?

There’s a lot more to series vs parallel speaker wiring than you may realize. I’ll explain it all here in a way anyone can understand.

Read on to find out what you need to know.

Which is better series or parallel speaker wiring?

series vs parallel speakers which is better man thinking image

Here are the main points you need to know for series vs parallel speaker wiring:

  • In nearly all cases speakers should be wired in parallel for the best results and sound.
  • There are a few cases where certain speaker types can be used in series without hurting sound quality (or other disadvantages).
  • Before wiring speakers in parallel, it’s important to be sure you pay attention to your stereo or amplifier’s minimum Ohms rating.

The main thing to remember is that there’s a list of reasons why you don’t want to use most speakers in series – all of which I’ll explain in more detail as we go.

What sounds better parallel or series wiring?

parallel vs series speaker wiring sound quality problems diagram

When it comes to sound quality you may not be aware of it but parallel speakers maintain their sound quality while series connected speakers can have a bad or “odd” sound.

That’s because many coaxial speakers as well as 2-way or 3-way speaker cabinets or car speaker systems use speaker crossovers in their design. Speaker crossovers are used to block unwanted sound frequencies from reaching speakers that aren’t well suited for them.

For example, tweeters can’t handle low bass or midrange as it causes terrible distortion and even damage. Woofers or midrange speakers, similarly, cannot produce treble (high frequencies) well and sound poor. When combined, crossovers create a better-sounding speaker system that gets the best performance from them.

How series resistance affects crossovers

Crossovers (electrical components called capacitors and inductors) block sound based on a particular speaker load resistance in Ohms. When that speaker load is changed, something called crossover shift occurs. 

This means that the crossover frequency changes greatly, allowing unwanted sound to pass to a speaker or speakers. Knowing this you can understand why series-connected speakers can have poor sound: you’re connecting more speaker load (Ohms) than should be used.

It’s also adding extra capacitance and inductance in series and parallel that can cause some odd problems I won’t go into here. That’ll affect the sound as well.

Note that there is an exception to this and you can use some types of speakers in series without any noticeable sound quality problems. (I’ll explain more later)

Are speakers louder in series or parallel? What about power?

series vs parallel speakers power and volume explained diagram

As a general rule, parallel speakers are louder than series speakers. That’s because:

  1. Wiring speakers in series increases the total speaker impedance (Ohms) load, decreasing how much electrical current (amps) can flow. This means the amp or stereo’s power output will be lower.
  2. Series speakers receive a portion of the power delivered and won’t be driven as much as parallel speakers.

Note that this is the normal situation when you’re using speakers rated for the amp or stereo you have. It’s a different case when purposely using lower impedance speakers in order to add keep the total speaker load low.

I’ll explain what I mean below.

Does series or parallel give more power?

As I mentioned above, wiring speakers in series means (in most cases) that you will be increasing the total speaker load above that recommended for the amplifier, receiver, car amp, etc. There’s nothing harmful about having the total Ohms load be higher but it comes with a price when it comes to power.

For example, let’s say you have an amplifier with the following power specs:

  • RMS power @ 4 Ohms: 100W/channel
  • RMS power @ 2 Ohms: 200W/channel

If you were to wire two 4Ω speakers in series you’d have 4Ω + 4Ω = 8Ω total. This means that:

  • The total power output to the 8 ohm series speaker load would be only 50W maximum.
  • The total power would be divided between however many speakers you have. In this case, that’s 50W/2 = 25 watts per speaker.
  • Each 4Ω speaker would have only 1/4 of the 4 Ohm power rating (100W) available to it meaning the volume will be a few times lower also.

As you can see, wiring speakers in series decreases the total power, the power to each speaker, and also the volume to each speaker.

Cases where series speaker wiring doesn’t have less volume

It is possible to purposely wire speakers in series to get the same power output from a stereo or amp. Taking our same example from above, we could do this:

  • We can wire two 2Ω speakers in series for a total of 4Ω.
  • The amp would still deliver up to its rated power at 4 Ohms (100W).
  • The power to each speaker would be 1/2 of that, or 50W each.
  • Each speaker will have 3 decibels (dB) lower volume than one 4Ω, but since they’re in series the volume would be the same as one speaker. 
Note: Speaker volume doesn’t add together like Ohms or other things. Doubling the power to a speaker (or using two speakers in series with 1/2 the power each of a single speaker) doesn’t double it – it increases it by 3dB due to how our hearing works.

That means two 50W speakers in series will have the same volume as a single speaker of the same impedance w/ 100W power.

Speaker Ohms for parallel vs series wiring

series vs parallel speaker ohms diagram

The important thing to understand about wiring speakers in series or parallel is the total speaker load (Ohms) must be equal to or higher than the minimum Ohms rating of the amp or stereo.

That’s because using multiple speakers in a way that drops the total Ohms (impedance, or resistance to the flow of electrical current in other words) will cause excessive current that can permanently damage an amp, receiver, or stereo. The electronics used in audio equipment has a limit that it can’t exceed.

Here are the basic rules to follow:

  • When speakers are connected in parallel the Ohms load divides by the number of speakers.
  • When connected in series the speaker Ohms add together.
  • It’s ok to use a higher total speaker Ohms load but not lower.

What type of speakers sound ok with series wiring?

diagram with examples of speakers that are ok to use in series for sound quality

There are some speakers you wire in series without sound quality problems. These are:

  • Single-cone midrange or single cone full range speakers (see the examples shown above) that don’t use a tweeter with crossover attached
  • Some horn tweeters (piezo tweeters, for example)
  • Subwoofers & woofers

These types don’t have crossover components that will affect the sound.

Although it’s true that speaker voice coils have some inductance due to their wound wire, it’s not much, and wiring these types of speakers in series works pretty well. However, be aware that any time you wire speakers in series both the total power delivered and power to each speaker will be lower because you’re changing the speaker load.

When wiring speakers in series the power and volume loss is a compromise you have to live with.

That being said, it’s still useful for different sound projects like a simple ceiling speaker setup, making a speaker array design, and some other unique designs. Also for amplifiers, receivers, or home stereos with lots of power available it’s less noticeable since they can make up the difference a bit.

Using regular speakers in series

You can also use regular single speakers such as tweeters or mids with a custom crossover designed for them. There are a few situations where this is handy or even necessary but it’s critical to do the math and use the correct crossover components since the total speaker Ohms load will be higher.

Wiring speakers in parallel vs series – pros and cons

series vs parallel speakers pros cons section image

There are a few pros and cons I’ll summarize for you here, as while parallel speakers are generally the best choice sometimes series has advantages.

Parallel speaker pros & cons:

PROS:
  • Best for maximum power and volume
  • Best sound quality for most speakers
  • If one fails, others will still have sound
CONS:
  • Not always possible due to the Ohms load
  • Harder to add extra speakers (min. Ohms required)
  • May require more amp channels etc.

Series speaker pros & cons:

PROS:
  • Higher series speaker Ohms safe for stereos & amps
  • Easy to hook up
  • Cheap, simple solution for ceiling speakers, speaker arrays, etc.
CONS:
  • Lower power & volume
  • Bad sound quality for 2-way or similar speakers
  • Lose sound to all speakers with a single failure point

One thing to bear in mind is that when a connection is lost with series speakers, all speakers lose sound since they’re no path for the electrical current to flow unlike parallel speakers.

Additionally, if series speakers are spaced apart it can be a bit of a hassle to connect them to each other.

Marty

About the author

Marty is an experienced electrical, electronics, and embedded firmware design engineer passionate about audio and DIY. He worked professionally as an MECP-certified mobile installer for years before moving into the engineering field. Read more »

Your comments are welcome.
  1. Would the same apply to a 4×10 bass cab with a horn? Replacing speaker and horn originally was series but now wondering if parallel will work better for sound.

    Reply
    • Hi, what type of horn? Generally, those are used in parallel with a woofer and work fine. Compression horn drivers for example with a traditional voice coil typically need a high-pass crossover, used in a 2-way parallel design, while others can work without one. That allows them to work alongside the woofer(s).

      If the originals were in series it’s possible to replicate that but it’s a bit unusual I think and depends greatly on the drivers used.

      Reply
  2. Thanks for the information. Was doing the math in my head and wanted to figure out if series actually gave more power (which correctly I thought, it didn’t).

    Keep in mind series will increase clarity depending on your amp. For my NR5100 I get 0.08% THD at 8ohms while I get 10% THD at 4. You also will have higher RMS “bandwidth” for the series-wired speakers which also should increase clarity. The crossover info really does help. My surround speakers are a single speaker so I’m lucky. May be series-“ing” them tomorrow with some new wire coming in.

    Reply
    • Almost forgot to add, some amps running at their lowest ohms can’t maintain max volume for long due to hit, so you may be able to get more volume with series (depending on your amp). Speaker wise though, you don’t.

      Reply
    • Hi KP you raise some good points which I appear to have overlooked so thanks for the ideas. I intend to add some new information related to series vs singular vs parallel connected speakers/loads including graphs.

      Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to get the test device to work correctly in Windows but hopefully, I’ll get that resolved soon and use your suggestion/notes. Thanks for the comment!

      Reply
  3. Marty.
    I have a McIntosh MA6500. I would like to wire 3 speakers on each channel. The speakers are 4 ohms. So, I assume this reduces to 1 ohm.

    The Amp has terminals on the back for a 1, 2, 4 and 8 ohm load. Should I assume this will be OK as there is a tap for the 1 ohm load.

    Reply
    • Hi Evan. Yes, that’s about ~1.33Ω total for three 4Ω speakers in parallel. You would use the 1Ω output as it will provide a lower output voltage and allow the amp to provide the same power as the other speaker impedance options but safely for such a low load.

      Best regards.

      Reply
  4. Hi Marty
    I wonder if you could help?

    I have 4 speakers that I want to put into a 2 channel amplifier. 2 leakers per channel.
    The amplifier says it’s 4 -16 ohms.
    The speakers say they are 4 -8 ohms
    If I wired in parallel do I take the hire or lower ohms of the speakers to make my calculation?
    Obviously if I took the 4 ohms it would take me down to 2 ohms which is too low or the 8 ohms would give me 4 which is the minimum.
    It would seem logically safer to wire in series but they are 2 way speakers so probably have crossovers. The speakers can also be biwired if that makes any difference.
    Any help would be great

    Reply
    • Hello, Mark. So this is, unfortunately, one of those oddball cases where speakers aren’t labeled accurately. They’re either about 4Ω or 8Ω. If you have a test meter with resistance measurement it would be a great idea to try and measure to see what’s correct.

      If we assume (for the moment) they’re 4Ω then you can’t wire them in parallel as that would be too low for the amp, so it’s important to be careful how we handle this. If they’re truly 4Ω speakers you can:

      1. Wire a 4Ω power resistor in series with each speaker, although this wastes power across the resistor as heat.
      2. Use a speaker impedance adapter like this one to get full power and safely use the speakers without issues.

      If they’re just coaxial speakers (only have a crossover on the tweeter) they can be wired in series safely. If at all possible I’d try to measure their impedance before going any further. Best regards!

      Reply
  5. 2 way bookshelf speakers can be wired in series and work happily if your amp can lift the DB level: the dual centre “array” on my D-class discrete 6 channel AV amp rocks! It just needs 5 DB of lift from the amp electronics.

    Reply
  6. Hi Marty,
    Great article and I need some advice. I have a G&K bass amplifier that has two bad 10″ speakers, 16 ohm impedance and have having a hard time finding a replacement. This is a powerful amp, over 500 watts of power. The previous speakers I have been unable to obtain from the company, G&K and wondering what could work for options. The two speakers were in parallel for 8 ohm load. The amp has additional outputs for added cabinets. So a 8 ohm load appears to be the best option but finding a 16 ohm bass spearker 10″ is difficult. I originally thought I could put two 4’s in series, but after reading your article, I realize the series is not the way to go.
    Any thoughts?
    Thanks,
    Tom

    Reply
    • Hi, what type of speakers are they – full range woofers or something similar? If so, series-parallel can help, depending on how many speakers you’d like to use. There’s definitely a way to do it with series-parallel. I can see how finding the right 16Ω speaker would be tough, if not nearly impossible.

      The speakers would all share the power so you can use multiple speakers that are easier to find that way. For example, if you don’t mind using four 8Ω speakers, you could have two parallel 8Ω (4Ω total) in series with another pair of 8Ω in parallel, for a total of 8Ω. Each speaker would get 125W with 500W supplied.

      Would something like that work for you?

      Reply
  7. Hi Marty, would you be kind enough to advise me on the following.
    I have a Bugera V55 (55 watt) guitar valve combo amplifier with a 1x 12″ 8 ohm internal speaker. The impedance switch on the rear panel reads 4-8-16 (currently on 8 obviously). I want to add a Marshall 1 x 12″ cab 75 watts 16 ohm extension to it to disperse the sound more. Some tell me to switch to 8 or 16? some say to switch to 4? Some say depends whether the 1 x 12″ extension speaker is in series or parallel-I naturally assumed 1 speaker on its own would only be wired in series? What would you advise the impedance switch to put on 4 or 8 or 16? Knowing that I am using the 8ohm internal speaker in the amp plus the 16ohm 1 x 12″ Marshall speaker together as I dont want to cook my amp? Cheers,Geoff Wellington, NZ.

    Reply
    • Hi Geoff. I’m assuming that the internal speaker will be disconnected if the external one is plugged in but I’m not sure. I didn’t see any clear information about that (yet) online.

      > Some say depends whether the 1 x 12″ extension speaker is in series or parallel
      Yes, that’s correct. For example: If both are in use and in series, you’d use the 16Ω setting. If they’re in parallel, you’d use the 4Ω setting (the total in parallel would be about 5.5Ω).

      I highly doubt they’ll be in parallel however. If you can’t find any info for sure, and if both are in use with the external speaker plugged in, you could (with the power off) termporarily disconnect the internal speaker and measure resistance across it then you’ll know.

      I hope that helps!

      Reply
  8. Hi Marty, i just felt like giving a vocal thumbs up for the great concise article and your follow ups to people’s questions. A rarity for sure. So, thank you and be well :)

    Reply
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