Installation Considerations
SS-4/SS-6 Power Handling
The SS-4/SS-6 is designed for use with a receiver or amplifier
having a maximum power output of 100 watts per channel at
8 ohms. Damage caused by the use of a higher-power receiv-
er or amplifier will void the warranty. Niles speaker selectors
with higher power handling capabilities are available. Consult
your Niles dealer, or receiver/amplifier manufacturer, if you are
uncertain about the power rating of your receiver or amplifier.
Amplifier Impedance Load
As more pairs of speakers are parallel connected to a receiver
or amplifier, the overall system impedance becomes lower. For
example, if two pairs of 8-ohm speakers are connected in par-
allel, the impedance will be 4 ohms; two pairs of
4-ohm speakers in parallel become 2 ohms, and so on.
Most receivers or amplifiers are not rated for use below a
4 ohm load. Most manufacturers do not recommend connect-
ing more than two pairs of speakers without using some form
of impedance correction.
The SS-4/SS-6 includes impedance correction circuitry which
protects your receiver or amplifier from low impedance loads.
The circuitry assures that your receiver or amplifier will see a
safe operating load, even when all speaker pairs are playing at
the same time.
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Playing Two or More Speaker Pairs Simultaneously
1. Make sure the amplifier or receiver power is OFF and set the
volume to minimum.
2. On the right side of the SS-4/SS-6’s front panel is a button
labeled PROTECTION. This button activates the SS-4/SS-6’s
impedance correction circuitry. The circuitry assures that your
receiver or amplifier will see a safe operating load when play-
ing multiple speaker pairs simultaneously. Since most receivers
and amplifiers are not rated for use below a 4 ohm load, you
will need to activate the Protection button whenever the over-
all system impedance might fall below 4 ohms. Use the follow-
ing chart as a guide for setting the Protection button.
When playing the following speakers:
1 or 2 pair of 8-ohm speakers
3 or more pairs of 8-ohm speakers
1 pair of 4-ohm speakers
2 or more pairs of 4-ohm speakers
Any combination of 4 and 8 ohm speakers
The Protection button should be:
OFF
ON
OFF
ON
ON
Set the Protection button to the correct position using the chart shown above.
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“TECH TIP”
You will need to acti-
vate the SS-4/SS-6’s
PROTECTION button
whenever the overall
system impedance
might fall below
4 ohms.
DS00359ACN/SS-4/SS-6 Printer 11/19/03 5:09 PM Page 3
