Re: Speaker Kill Switch

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"E. Lee Dickinson" <lee@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e7nmj4$f78$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> I have a cluster of outdoor speakers on an impedance-matching volume
> control.  One speaker points directly towards the neighbor's house. I
would
> like to be able to selectively kill that one speaker.

What kind of impedance matching control and brand/model of amp are you
using?  FWIW, any control you build for that speaker should probably be
operable remote by your neighbor as well.  I can see instances arising where
you might not realize the speaker's powered up and your neighbor might want
to power it down.  And that's even if you're on the best of terms.
Accidents happen.  Especially if it's X-10!  Jim would sleep better, I'm
sure, knowing that your neighbors were properly empowered to silence your
potentially hostile audio emissions.  <big grin>

> Can I put a switch (immediately a waterproof outdoor light switch,
> ultimately an inline module) in line with the positive wire of the
speaker?

Depends on your impedance matching control.  It should automatically adjust
for the speaker being taken in and out of the circuit.  As long as the
switchover occurs quickly, there shouldn't be an issue.

Many years ago, when I was considering distributing audio at speaker instead
of line level (now I use dedicated amps in each room), I was told you should
use a make-before-break double pole DT switch and use a dummy load so that
you don't expose the amplifier to transients or have it running at high
volumes without a load.  The dummy load would also tend to keep the volume
level at the other speakers more constant.

--
Bobby G.