How to Install a 4-Way Speaker Switch

Four-way speaker switches are a great audio accessory for the homeowner looking to wire his or her house for sound. A four-way speaker switch accepts the output from a receiver or amplifier and splits it so that you can connect up to four pairs of speakers, turning them on and off independently of each other. You can choose what rooms you want to have music playing in with one source.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Speaker wire
• Wire cutters/strippers
• Tape or cable labels

1. Strip 3/8 of an inch of insulation from the ends of two pairs of speaker wires. The wires should be long enough to reach from the speaker outputs of your receiver or amplifier to the speaker inputs of the four-way speaker switch.

2. Connect the speaker wires between the speaker outputs of your receiver or amplifier and the inputs of the four-way speaker switch. One pair of speaker wires will be connected between the "+" and "-" terminals of the "R" (right) output of the receiver/amp and the "+" and "-" terminals of the "R" (right) input of the four-way speaker switch. Repeat the process with the "L" (left) terminals. Remember--you're going "out" from the receiver and "in" to the switch.

3. Strip 3/8 inch of insulation from the speaker wires that lead to your other speakers. Connect them to the outputs of your four-way switch. Mark your wires as you go along with tape or cable labels so that you can keep track of which output of the speaker switch goes to which pair of speakers.

References

• Home Theater Solutions; Joel White; 2002