Solved! Connecting & using speakers A+B/Ohms question

[scottlange54]

I have an older receiver (8 ohms) & want to use A+B speaker selection.

System A, 6 ohm speakers. System B, 8 ohm speakers (super tweeters).


Is this ok & safe if not turned up real loud ?


Please help. Thanks.

 

[engineer5261]

using a 6 ohm speaker with 8 ohm receiver will make the receiver run hotter than normal (since more current is flowing due to the reduced impedance). Perhaps this is okay if your receiver documentation says it is.

 

[americanaudiophile]

Your receiver isn't "8ohm". All receivers have a range of combined speaker impedance that they are stable to drive. If your receiver hooks the 2 pairs of speakers in parallel you would get about 3.4 ohms which is likely to be lower than it can drive.It can go into protection, blow a fuse, or blow up. That's why some receivers connect them in series, in which case. you would get 14 ohms which will produce less power but is safe. If the speakers are hooked in series then you can't use speaker B without speaker A. Check the receiver owners manual.
Now it becomes more complicated because you are adding super tweeters not another pair of full range speakers. Some of those are designed to be added to full range speakers and are safe. Others will require a crossover that will limit the range of sound they receive and make them safe to connect in parallel.

 

[scottlange54]

Your receiver isn't "8ohm". All receivers have a range of combined speaker impedance that they are stable to drive. If your receiver hooks the 2 pairs of speakers in parallel you would get about 3.4 ohms which is likely to be lower than it can drive.It can go into protection, blow a fuse, or blow up. That's why some receivers connect them in series, in which case. you would get 14 ohms which will produce less power but is safe. If the speakers are hooked in series then you can't use speaker B without speaker A. Check the receiver owners manual.
Now it becomes more complicated because you are adding super tweeters not another pair of full range speakers. Some of those are designed to be added to full range speakers and are safe. Others will require a crossover that will limit the range of sound they receive and make them safe to connect in parallel.

I don't have the manual, but it drives my 6 ohm pair on A just fine & you can barely tell it runs a little warmer.
The 8 ohm super tweeters came with capacitors installed without speaker enclosures so I guess it's OK to put them on system B & run them with A ?