4 ohm or 8 ohm?

[sparks98]

Before I buy speakers, definitely bookshelf, should I be looking for a certain amount of ohms? 4 or 8? I figure an 8ohm would have a bigger coil in it, thus needing to be pushed harder. Why would it matter?

 

[gcmarshall]

4 ohm speakers need high current amps (at least) and sometimes separate amplification depending on how difficult the 4 ohm speakers are to drive. many run of the mill AV receivers could have trouble with certain 4 ohm speakers. 8 ohm speakers are the easier of the two to drive and are much more friendly and easier to drive across a broader selection of receivers. if you use quality separate amplification, as opposed to just an AV receiver, feel free to use either 4 or 8 ohm speakers.

 

[ruadmaa]

Which Speaker

Before I buy speakers, definitely bookshelf, should I be looking for a certain amount of ohms? 4 or 8? I figure an 8ohm would have a bigger coil in it, thus needing to be pushed harder. Why would it matter?

Buy the 8 ohm, you can drive them with ANY amp or receiver.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Before I buy speakers, definitely bookshelf, should I be looking for a certain amount of ohms? 4 or 8? I figure an 8ohm would have a bigger coil in it, thus needing to be pushed harder. Why would it matter?

Actually, what matters is speaker sensitivity as to how hard it will be driven, not that it is 8 ohms or not.

Buy 8 ohm speakers.

 

[j_garcia]

Get 6 Ohm! Right in between j/k The vast majority of speakers are going to be 8 Ohm. As gcmarshal said, if you have decent amplification, it shouldn't make much difference. If you don't, go with 8 Ohm.

 

[ruadmaa]

Buy The 8 Ohm

Before I buy speakers, definitely bookshelf, should I be looking for a certain amount of ohms? 4 or 8? I figure an 8ohm would have a bigger coil in it, thus needing to be pushed harder. Why would it matter?

I forgot to mention, not only can you drive 8 ohm speakers with any amp but you can also run 2 sets or speakers (A&B) at the same time. With 4 ohm you cannot on most receivers/amps

 

[jcPanny]

Receiver capabilities

I forgot to mention, not only can you drive 8 ohm speakers with any amp but you can also run 2 sets or speakers (A&B) at the same time. With 4 ohm you cannot on most receivers/amps

Most low to mid range receiver cannot drive a single pair of 4 ohm speakers. Thus, most low to mid range receivers cannont drive 2 pairs of 8 ohms speaker (A AND B = 4 ohm load).

 

[ruadmaa]

I Beg To Differ With You

Most low to mid range receiver cannot drive a single pair of 4 ohm speakers. Thus, most low to mid range receivers cannont drive 2 pairs of 8 ohms speaker (A AND B = 4 ohm load).

Just about ANY receiver will drive a 4 ohm speaker. That goes from the cheapest Panasonic to anywhere inbetween. In fact, I have yet to see a receiver that wouldn’t drive a 4 ohm speaker under moderate listening conditions.

 

[j_garcia]

Just about ANY receiver will drive a 4 ohm speaker. That goes from the cheapest Panasonic to anywhere inbetween. In fact, I have yet to see a receiver that wouldn’t drive a 4 ohm speaker under moderate listening conditions.

Yes and no. Yes, any receiver will drive a 4 Ohm speaker at MODERATE listening levels, but the low end units will struggle with the load very quickly if you expect decent SPLs. Most people I've seen do not watch movies at moderate levels... If you have one pair of 4 Ohm speakers or only a 4 Ohm center and the rest are 8 Ohm, the typical receiver can handle that, but take a low end model and slap a full set of 4 Ohm speakers on it and it will only be a matter of time before something gives out. As a general rule, you don't want to pair up an entry level receiver with 4 Ohm speakers. What jcpanny probably should have said is "Most low to mid range receiver cannot drive a single pair of 4 ohm speakers well."

My receiver is rated at 120wpc and it doesn't like driving a full set of 4 Ohm speakers at elevated levels. That's why I added the monoblocks.

 

[ruadmaa]

Use A Powered Subwoofer, You Don't Need Monoblocks

Yes and no. Yes, any receiver will drive a 4 Ohm speaker at MODERATE listening levels, but the low end units will struggle with the load very quickly if you expect decent SPLs. Most people I've seen do not watch movies at moderate levels... If you have one pair of 4 Ohm speakers or only a 4 Ohm center and the rest are 8 Ohm, the typical receiver can handle that, but take a low end model and slap a full set of 4 Ohm speakers on it and it will only be a matter of time before something gives out. As a general rule, you don't want to pair up an entry level receiver with 4 Ohm speakers. What jcpanny probably should have said is "Most low to mid range receiver cannot drive a single pair of 4 ohm speakers well."

My receiver is rated at 120wpc and it doesn't like driving a full set of 4 Ohm speakers at elevated levels. That's why I added the monoblocks.

Most people who are using receivers as home theatre units also have a powered subwoofer which takes most of the strain off of the main amp. To say that you are using a set of monoblocks to power your system is like shooting a mosquito with an elephant rifle.

 

[j_garcia]

Most people who are using receivers as home theatre units also have a powered subwoofer which takes most of the strain off of the main amp. To say that you are using a set of monoblocks to power your system is like shooting a mosquito with an elephant rifle.

I don't follow you? By using monoblocks for my mains, I have offloaded a large portion of the work of the receiver in exactly the same way you are talking about with a powered subwoofer... Yes, the receiver not having to power a sub means less work for the receiver, but that is not what we are talking about here. We're talking about lower end receivers powering 4 Ohm speakers, and it doesn't matter if the receiver isn't driving a sub if it can't handle a 4 Ohm load.

I wouldn't use an elephant rifle to kill mosqitos when a .45 would work just as well, but I also wouldn't use an entry level receiver with any decent 4 Ohm speakers....

 

[ruadmaa]

Just About Any Receiver Will Do With 4 Ohm Speakers

I don't follow you? By using monoblocks for my mains, I have offloaded a large portion of the work of the receiver in exactly the same way you are talking about with a powered subwoofer... Yes, the receiver not having to power a sub means less work for the receiver, but that is not what we are talking about here. We're talking about lower end receivers powering 4 Ohm speakers, and it doesn't matter if the receiver isn't driving a sub if it can't handle a 4 Ohm load.

I wouldn't use an elephant rifle to kill mosqitos when a .45 would work just as well, but I also wouldn't use an entry level receiver with any decent 4 Ohm speakers....

In a spare room I have a 12 inch 4 way set of towers (Speakerlab SL7's) and the usual set of surround speakers (all 4 ohm) with a powered sub. In this particular room I am using a Panasonic XR55 digital amp to power the whole setup. There is no way I can turn the system up to half volume without hurting my ears. Incidentally, the Panny XR55 is only rated for 6 to 8 ohm speakers. I have yet to see it power down from too large of a load. Nor would I ever have any desire to turn it louder.

 

[j_garcia]

That's a digital amp, impedance doesn't affect it exactly the same way as it does a traditional class AB amp. Try doing the same thing with an entry level Sony and see what happens. I stand by my statement.

 

[Hipnotic4]

if your running all of that to a receiver that is not rated for 4ohms, your just stressing the receiver..Maybe that receiver is built to handle the loads but they dont say so but if you use a cheap one that is not built for it at all--it will over heat and mess up the reciver...i have seen it happen 2ice

 

[sparks98]

Okay, I haven't bought anything yet. If all higher end speakers come in 8ohms then that's what I'll be getting. I do want bookshelf speakers because all speakers, besides the sub, will be mounted in the high corners of the room. I don't need the best, but I also don't want to get an itch to upgrade in two years because I didn't buy adequate stuff the first time around. If I was prepared to spring for the Bose Lifestyle 38, WHICH I NOW AM AGAINST, then I should be able to build a quality system for around the same price, right? What are pretty good bookshelves out there?

 

[ruadmaa]

Hate To Tell You But You're Wrong

That's a digital amp, impedance doesn't affect it exactly the same way as it does a traditional class AB amp. Try doing the same thing with an entry level Sony and see what happens. I stand by my statement.

Some 15 years ago I set up a modest bookshelp system for an aunt of mine. It consisted merely of an entry level Panasonic stereo receiver and a pair of Polk 4 ohm bookshelf speakers. She has used this system all these years without incident. As a matter of fact, when a few of her nephews come to visit they have been known to crank up the volume fairly loud (until they are told to turn it down). I also stand by my statement, I have yet to see a receiver that could not play 4 ohm speakers at moderate volumes.

 

[j_garcia]

Think what you like.