Can 8 ohm amp drive 6 ohm speakers?

[krishnarendran]

Hi!

Did a lot of reading on the net and got confusing & contradictory answers so asking this question here.

Can an 8 ohm integrated amp (in this case my NAD 3020) drive 6 ohm bookshelf speakers (viz Dali Zensor 1 or Wharfedale 10.1s).

If not, what would be the ideal matching bookshelf speakers, in the similarly priced (around INR15K) models.

Thanks in advance!

Krish

 

[avidyarthy]

With ease ................... Below should tell you a lot ..........


'It was rated at just 20 watts per channel into 8 ohms, but it can deliver as much as 58 watts into 4 ohms, and 72 watts into 2 ohm speakers! I doubt any of today's receivers can handle low impedance (4 or less ohm) or difficult to drive speakers as well as the 3020 can. It was designed to sound great; today's gear is sold on features like auto-setup, GUI menus, Air Play, home networking, iPod docks, Bluetooth, HDMI switching, Dolby and DTS processing, and other goodies. Those features aren't "free," and a significant portion of today's receiver's design budget resources are directed to features, not sound quality'.



Read more: NAD 3020: Vintage hi-fi that still sounds great | The Audiophiliac - CNET News

 

[gobble]

Hi!

Did a lot of reading on the net and got confusing & contradictory answers so asking this question here.

Krish

This issue was explored and answered very recently on this forum in a recent thread. Did you find it in google and was there anything confusing about it?

-G

 

[ShaQ.Blogs]

Hi!

Did a lot of reading on the net and got confusing & contradictory answers so asking this question here.

Can an 8 ohm integrated amp (in this case my NAD 3020) drive 6 ohm bookshelf speakers (viz Dali Zensor 1 or Wharfedale 10.1s).

If not, what would be the ideal matching bookshelf speakers, in the similarly priced (around INR15K) models.

Thanks in advance!

Krish

One cannot match speakers and amps like this! Speakers are reactive loads. So when someone says 6 ohm speaker they only mean it is around 6 ohm largely. But this does not mean it cannot be 3 or even 2 (yikes) ohms at some frequencies or have a horrible combination of 3 ohm with a bad phase lag. So one needs to analyze the frequency & phase response of the same speakers to give a reliable answer. Most if not alll speakers require more current hence will have lower impedance at the low bass frequencies. Meaning they will draw more current which is a higher load than the "6 ohms claimed" by the manufacturer specs.
Now if this happens when the speaker is more demanding then you need a *matching amp*. Hence you see the funda of matching amps is crucial. If you dont match then now a lot of variables kick in. If speakers tend to suck in more current and if the source played is recorded at the *right sound level*, and if the music has the appropriate content and if you play it loud enough...and if the amp does not have the capacity to deliver these higher currents then if the amp clips enough, then it could blow your tweeters.

While you cant control the source recording level, or if the music has the appropriate content or if the amp will clip in this scenario or that scenario. What you can control is not play loud enough in such unmatched load conditions which is difficult as we all want to play loud, loud, and louder than loud . You can also control getting an appropriate amp. Catch is, it is more expensive!!

A normal way to estimate a better amp is its weight. Heavier it is, a better and more capable power section with a higher capacity to deliver the required high load currents.

 

[deepakgang]

Peak power P = V^2/R

So if we consider an amp giving out 30 Volts to a speaker of say 8 ohms at a given volume,

P = 30*30/8 = 112.5 W

If we use a 4 ohm speaker, the power will double so P = 225 W for 4 Ohm, when the 30 V doesn't change

But when the load decreases, the output current will increase and that will damage transistors in the amp, if the transistor cannot handle high current.

So like +ShaQ mentioned above, music gets loud and it gets soft and an amplifier needs to be able to respond quickly to sudden requirements. An 8 or 4 ohm resistor
is not a realistic load for the amplifier, as a speaker's resistance varies by the frequency of the signal it is fed. A typical 8 ohm speaker can have certain frequencies where its low as 4 ohms and other frequencies where it would be as high as 24 ohms.
So watts may not be the best realistic measurement of power of an amp. It could be function of "current," measured in amps, which an amplifier can deliver to the speaker.


So depends on the design, an amp can or cannot drive both 8 and 4 ohm speakers, there could be overheating, clipping etc.
NAD produces a number of high current amps and looks like the one you have mentioned is a high current one as per the second post.

 

[krishnarendran]

Thank you all for your advice!

 

[Kumar442244]

Hello members,

Found this old thread, somehow thought wud be useful for me and many others as this question keeps coming and have difference of thoughts among audio enthusiasts.

My concern here is the same.

Have marantz nr1606 which is rated at 50 wpc at 8 ohms and Dali zensor 3 rated at 6 ohms.

It's my first setup which is not even a fortnight old and hence I am a very nascent addition to the hi-fi world.

Was wondering if the amp and speakers impedance mismatch cud lead to serious harm to speaker/amp?

Shud I keep the speaker and be worried or look for 8 ohms speakers like Polk RTIs or others?

I was also planning to have Dali zensor 1 and Dali vocal fir surround and center respectively in near future.

Shud I look for 8 ohms surround and center or can go with Dali rated 6 ohms.

Do I have to check any specifications in choosing a sub? Currently considering Dali e12f.

Plz advice...

 

[MaSh]

Hello members,

Found this old thread, somehow thought wud be useful for me and many others as this question keeps coming and have difference of thoughts among audio enthusiasts.

My concern here is the same.

Have marantz nr1606 which is rated at 50 wpc at 8 ohms and Dali zensor 3 rated at 6 ohms.

It's my first setup which is not even a fortnight old and hence I am a very nascent addition to the hi-fi world.

Was wondering if the amp and speakers impedance mismatch cud lead to serious harm to speaker/amp?

Shud I keep the speaker and be worried or look for 8 ohms speakers like Polk RTIs or others?

I was also planning to have Dali zensor 1 and Dali vocal fir surround and center respectively in near future.

Shud I look for 8 ohms surround and center or can go with Dali rated 6 ohms.

Do I have to check any specifications in choosing a sub? Currently considering Dali e12f.

Plz advice...

There is no need to worry. NR1606 is rated to handle 4-16 Ohm speakers. Check the label below the speaker binding posts and also the specs in the manual. However, you might have to set it up to handle that.

Have you read the manual? Check page 33. As a side note, the steps are mentioned on how to setup the receiver for 6Ohm speakers. http://us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/NR1606U_ENG_PDF_UG_v00A.pdf

How much did you get the Zensor 3 for and from where?

MaSh

 

[Kumar442244]

There is no need to worry. NR1606 is rated to handle 4-16 Ohm speakers. Check the label below the speaker binding posts and also the specs in the manual. However, you might have to set it up to handle that.

Have you read the manual? Check page 33. As a side note, the steps are mentioned on how to setup the receiver for 6Ohm speakers. http://us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/NR1606U_ENG_PDF_UG_v00A.pdf

How much did you get the Zensor 3 for and from where?

MaSh

Thx a ton MaSh. That's a relief.

Have not gone through the user manual extensively. Certainly have to invest some time there as well.

Any thoughts on sub selection on impedance perspective?

Dali e12f is just a push away to be home.

Got zensor 3 from dni Bangalore at 29.5 k. Fair price??

 

[MaSh]

Thx a ton MaSh. That's a relief.

Have not gone through the user manual extensively. Certainly have to invest some time there as well.

Any thoughts on sub selection on impedance perspective?

Dali e12f is just a push away to be home.

Got zensor 3 from dni Bangalore at 29.5 k. Fair price??

You are welcome. There is no restriction on a Sub as long as it's an active one. Connect the sub pre out and enjoy.

Yes that is a great price I think. Will be auditioning them in January.

MaSh

Sent from my Redmi Note 3