By using the Tap switch on the back of the speaker, you can determine how much power capacity the Onyx
‘drains’ from the original signal. The rest of the signal can then be sent to as many speakers as desired.
Do keep in mind that the total power capacity consumption of the speakers may not exceed the maximum
power output of the amplifier!
Please note!
When turned to certain positions, the Tap rotary knob can immediately damage your speakers
or drastically shorten their lifespan.
If the speaker is connected to a 70.7/100V system, then the 6th position (8 Ohm) may not be used. In this
case, the speaker voice-coil is connected directly to high-tension power and will break.
If the speaker to a connected to a 100V system, then the 5th position (N.C.) may not be used. This leads to
electrical overload and will quickly cause the speaker components to break.
Power Capacity
Depending on whether they’re set to 70.7 or 100V mode, Devine Onyx speakers are able to ‘drain’ different
amounts of power from the signal, with a minimum of 25 Watts and a maximum of 40 Watts depending on
the type of amplifier and mode used.
While this may seem like an insignificant amount, keep in mind that the average PA speaker is able to
produce as much as 80 to 100 dB with just 1 Watt of power.
Each doubling of the power capacity results in an average increase of 3 dB. Each increase of 6 dB in sound
pressure is experienced by human hearing as a doubling of the sound pressure.
This is why a 70.7/100V system is ideal for installations with a large amount of speakers to ensure solid
sound dispersion, without the need for a high power capacity per speaker.
Example
You have a 100V amplifier with a maximum power capacity of 150 Watts and several Onyx speakers you’d
like to install. Some speakers are able to produce a louder sound, so you want to send more power to these.
In 100V mode, an Onyx speaker can siphon 5, 10, 20 or 40 Watts of power from the signal.
This means that 5 Onyx speakers are able to siphon 10 Watts, while if you were to use 20 Onyx speakers,
they could only siphon 5 Watts.
In practice, it’s recommended to maintain a safety margin and keep the power amplifier from continuously
sending out its maximum power output. This ensures that each component in your sound system has a little
headroom to guarantee optimal performance without constantly operating at maximum capacity.
Connecting 70.7/100V
A 70.7/100V system can be connected in the same way as a traditional PA system without the need to
distinguish between series or parallel switching. This means that it’s possible to set up two separate lines
from the amplifier to two different rooms while all the speakers in the room are daisy-chained for the most
efficient configuration possible. This also makes it easier to troubleshoot any issues in case one group of
speakers is working while the other group isn’t.
General Use
Housing
The Onyx speaker has a robust housing made of moulded plastic. While this is designed to withstand regular
mobile use, it is not designed to withstand impact due to falling or damage caused by (relatively) sharp
objects.
The information in this user manual is subject to change at any time without notice.
Version: 1.0
Date of creation and author’s initials: 09-01-2020 RV Revision date and author’s initials: -