Speaker Selector

When you try to split an audio signal between many different speakers, you lose much of the juice that the stereo is pumping to the speakers. Having a powered speaker selector

solves this problem. A powered speaker selector amplifies the incoming signal and pipes it to the various speakers with a stronger signal, given more volume and fuller sounds. The speakers can have even more volume than the stereo initially puts out, so you can really fill up a room with sound.

Having your speaker selector powered also allows for features that passive speaker selectors cannot have. Display screens and lights are the most common. The displays will often tell you the volume levels and active speakers in a very clear way, unlike an unpowered selector, which will have mechanical switches and no information is displayed other than the current toggle of the switch. Having power also allows for higher fidelity audio, so if you are an audiophile you will definitely find it worthwhile to buy.

To use a powered speaker selector it will need to be in a place that is near an electrical outlet. While near the stereo may seem like an obvious choice, it is sometimes convenient to have the selector in an area where some of your speakers are, like outdoors. It is common to have a speaker selector outside and toggle the backyard speakers on or off while outside, instead of having to come all the way in the house to change them. Some speaker selectors have remote switches which if that are the case, you can easily place the speaker selector near the stereo.  If you place the selector outdoors, make sure it is safe from harmful weather. It is also important to cover all the wires, whether by using conduit or running them through walls. Ever location generally has its own set of rules regarding wiring code, so make sure to check with your local code to make sure you aren’t causing a fire or shock hazard.

If you already have a speaker selector and are seeking a powered selector for the purposes of amplification, you don’t necessarily need to start over. You can simply buy an amplifier and place it in the wire circuit somewhere between the stereo and selector. This way the amplified signal will hit the selector and disperse to all the speakers. This can also be a less expensive solution than buying new, but for the most part buying the combo of selector with amplifier is cheaper.