4 Focal 300 ICW8 + WiiM Ultra / Switch 2 or 4

[Juan Manuel]

In my living room I want to install my new WiiM Ultra, connected to two pairs of Focal 300 ICW8.
I would like to be able to play a pair of Focal 300, or all four.
I am aware that I will need two amplifiers (Fosi V3 Stereo) and a switcher (Fosi LC30).
I would appreciate if you could help me with a simpler installation, as it seems like too many devices.
On the other hand, I would appreciate an installation plan and a recommendation for 16 AWG cable quality/price.
Thank you very much

 

[Juan Manuel]

I'm not sure how to do the installation. With what I have in mind, I would connect each pair of speakers to a Fosi V3, and from the two Fosi V3s, to the Fosi LC30; and from there take it to the WiiM Ultra.
I find that configuration too much of a hassle, so I would appreciate a simpler solution without losing quality/price.
Thank you very much

 

[hoohoohoo]

To connect your two pairs of Focal 300 ICW8 speakers to two Fosi V3 amplifiers and be able to switch between one pair or both, here's an approach for wiring and setup:

Switching:
https://fosiaudio.com/products/fosi-audio-lc30-amplifier-speaker-switcher
The Fosi LC30 speaker switcher can switch between the two pairs of speakers or play both at once.

• Input: Connect the output from the WiiM Ultra to the input of the two Fosi V3 amplifiers. You’ll need a splitter if you want both amplifiers to be driven by the same signal from the WiiM Ultra. This splitter could be a simple RCA Y-splitter or a more advanced switcher with volume control.
• Output: The Fosi LC30 will allow you to select either one pair or both pairs of Focal speakers. It has two speaker output channels (A and B), so you can connect both pairs of Focal speakers to this switcher. When you want to use only one pair, just select the corresponding channel (A or B). For both, you can select both channels.

Wiring:

- WiiM Ultra → Splitter → Fosi V3 #1 (for pair 1) and Fosi V3 #2 (for pair 2).
- Fosi V3 #1 Output → Focal 300 ICW8 Pair 1.
- Fosi V3 #2 Output → Focal 300 ICW8 Pair 2.
- Fosi LC30 will be used to switch between the two pairs or both at once.

Load:

The combined load of both speaker pairs has to be within the tolerance of each Fosi V3 amplifier. Typically, each Fosi V3 is rated for 4-8 ohms per speaker, so two 8-ohm pairs should work fine in parallel if you're switching them properly. The Fosi LC30 will control which amplifier’s output is active, so no need to worry about both amplifiers powering both speaker pairs at the same time.

 

[Juan Manuel]

First of all, I would like to thank you very much for the instructions, as well as for confirming that the configuration is correct.

Lastly, is there any alternative to the Fosi V3 and Fosi LC30 that is reliable in terms of quality/price?

What cable do you recommend in terms of quality/price? I imagine 16AWG. I have been recommended Qed Original, but at 8US€/meter, it is out of my budget.

Regards