4ohm speakers(dynaudio) wth Yamaha V2500

[Dinkar Rai]

i hv just bought the following equipment: Sony DVP-S725D, Yamaha RX V2500, Dynaudio Audiance 52SE (fronts), Dynaudio 42C (centre), Dynaudio 42W (sarrounds), Mission elegante E8AS1 sub woofer. i just realised after going through the manual that the yamaha is not specified for driving 4 ohm speakers which the dynas' are. so i changed the setting on the yamaha to 6 ohms and have been driving since the past few days. i would like to know whether i have done the right thing or fundamentally the yamaha cannot drive the 4 ohm speakers such as dynaudio. i have selected all speakers to small on the amp. crossover is set at 80 mhz

also the sub did not come with the manual. how do i set it up optimally?

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

I would like to know whether i have done the right thing or fundamentally the yamaha cannot drive the 4 ohm speakers such as dynaudio.

I suggest emailing Yamaha with your question. I asked the Denon tech dept. the same question regarding the 3805 model (just last week), and they outright said the unit is not meant to drive 4 ohm speakers.
https://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/email.asp

 

[anamorphic96]

Most mass market receivers are not capable of driving 4ohm speakers except for a few. However not all is lost.

A few things to keep in mind is watch the heat level on the amp and listen carefully for distortion. Being you have crossed the recevier over at 80hz should help since you have removed the low end from the equation, and that is what chews up power. Just keep a close eye on the volume.

The other thing to keep in mind is you can use the pre outs and add an external 2 channel amp to drive the main left and right or you can add a 5 channel amp to drive everything.

 

[Dinkar Rai]

that sounds like a great idea. i have a carver TFM55x power amp. i will try and connect that. in that case can the yamaha drive the centre and the sorrounds? it it too complicated to set up?

 

[PENG]

I suggest emailing Yamaha with your question. I asked the Denon tech dept. the same question regarding the 3805 model (just last week), and they outright said the unit is not meant to drive 4 ohm speakers.
https://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/email.asp

I wonder why the Denon FAQ site (http://www.usa.denon.com/support/faqs_ht.asp#Q9)
answered the 4 ohm question this way:

Quote

9) CAN I USE 4 OHM LOUDSPEAKERS WITH MY DENON RECEIVER OR POWER AMPLIFIER?

Yes, you certainly can.

To understand this a bit better, first realize that all amplifiers are designed to deliver a signal into an electrical "load" or resistance presented by the loudspeaker. We measure resistance in units called "ohms" (after the German physicist Georg Simon Ohm, 1787–1854).

Conventional wisdom makes an 8 ohm loudspeaker load the most acceptable because it "protects" the amplifier from delivering too much current. A 4 ohm loudspeaker can encourage a marginally designed amplifier to deliver more current than it comfortably can.

However, you should remember that a loudspeaker’s impedance rating is a nominal or average one: A speaker rated at 8 ohms may actually vary from 5 (sometimes even less) to 20 ohms or higher, depending on the frequency at which you measure the impedance. (Don’t worry about this too much -- good speaker engineers are well aware of these variations and take them into consideration when designing products.)

In general, you’ll find that Denon products are designed to function with a wide variety of loudspeakers and have power supplies and output circuitry more than able to meet the current demands of low impedance loads.

In the rare event that very low impedances tax the amplifier, quick acting circuitry will protect it from damage. If unusual operating conditions trigger this circuitry, the word "PROTECTION" will appear on the unit’s front panel. If this happens, simply turn the unit off, wait a moment or two, and turn the unit back on again. The protection circuitry will automatically reset. If it re-engages, check your system for possible malfunctions

End of quote

This may or not may be the case for the RX-V2500. I would search their site and read the instruction manual to see if there are any relevant information regarding 4 ohm loads. If you want to be sure, at least get a two or three channel amp to take care of the 3 front channels.

 

[PENG]

Hello Dinkar,

I found this for you from the Yamaha's Canadian site (http://www.yamaha.ca/av/CustomerService/FAQs.jsp#4ohm_speaker)

"Can I use a 4 Ohm speaker set?

Please read the impedance rating carefully, if the receiver is rated for 6-8 Ohm, don't use any speaker with the impedance rating outside what's recommended."

Setting the speakers small and XC at 80 hz should help, in terms of not causing the receiver to trigger the protection mode, but to get the best sound out of your 4 ohm Dynaudio speakers you may need to add an external amp.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

This may or not may be the case for the RX-V2500. I would search their site and read the instruction manual to see if there are any relevant information regarding 4 ohm loads. If you want to be sure, at least get a two or three channel amp to take care of the 3 front channels.

Peng,

Great quote. Wish I had that info when I called Denon's tech dept. They did say since I had these 4 ohm Polk speakers, to set them all as "small", and use the bass management. I went a step further, and am running the towers without the dual 7" woofers. It's opened up a ton of headroom, separation, and sound floor. Until I grab a separate amp to drive those 7" miniwoofers, I'll use the towers as two way bookshelves. They've exploded with sound.

 

[PENG]

Buck, if you can even get a 2 ch amp you won't regret it. As I had reported before, I listened to several HK receivers last year at the Future shop driving the RTi10. With anything less than the 630, the RTi10 would sound worse than even their entry level JBL towers that were listed at half the price of the RTi. With the 630, they did better, but still feel like missing something. Anyway, glad to know that you have found a smart way of getting around those 7" woofers. They may be mini, but they are hungry little pigs!

 

[Dinkar Rai]

4 ohms

Good to hear the reply from Denon. i have no complaints from the sound quality. in fact it is quite good. (or so i think). however if i were to change the amp, (i will shift it to another room for which i have bought the mission elegante e8 series, which amp should i use which can drive the four ohms comfortably. i do not want to buy an expensive amp. the makes that are available here in india are Sony, Yamaha, denon, Harmon Kardon, Onkyo and NAD. needless to add that theamp must be able top drive the 4 ohms and it should be specified in the manual.

 

[Dinkar Rai]

just came across this link at audioholics site. http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/4-ohmspeakersreceiver.php
i have a few questions.
(1) I have changed the setting on the amp to 6 ohms. should i change it back to 8 ohms as suggested in the article.
(2) Is the Yamaha V2500 a high end or a mid end receiver?
(3) Are the dynaudios efficient or in-efficient speakers?

looking for input from friends.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

just came across this link at audioholics site. http://www.audioholics.com/FAQs/4-ohmspeakersreceiver.php
i have a few questions.
(1) I have changed the setting on the amp to 6 ohms. should i change it back to 8 ohms as suggested in the article.
(2) Is the Yamaha V2500 a high end or a mid end receiver?
(3) Are the dynaudios efficient or in-efficient speakers?

looking for input from friends.

The article stated:

You are usually safe running these speakers on the Flagship Receiver models from: {Yamaha, Denon, Onkyo, Harman Kardon, NAD, Nakamichi).
NOTE: Some Receivers have an impedance selector switch. DON'T USE THEM!

1- Switch it back to 8 ohms.
2- Midlevel receiver. The article states Flagships. IE, Yamaha RX-Z1/9; Denon 5803/5805; HK7300; Onkyo NR1000 etc...
3- 4/6 ohm speakers or 8 ohm speakers with a sensitivity rating less than 91dB could be considered "inneficient"

 

[PENG]

Good to hear the reply from Denon. i have no complaints from the sound quality. in fact it is quite good. (or so i think). however if i were to change the amp, (i will shift it to another room for which i have bought the mission elegante e8 series, which amp should i use which can drive the four ohms comfortably. i do not want to buy an expensive amp. the makes that are available here in india are Sony, Yamaha, denon, Harmon Kardon, Onkyo and NAD. needless to add that theamp must be able top drive the 4 ohms and it should be specified in the manual.

Whether an amp from Sony, Yamaha, Denon, Harman Kardon, Onkyo can drive 4 ohms depends on the model. Without referring to their manuals, I would guess with a high degree of confidence that most NAD amps can drive 4 ohm speakers. Even their receivers can do it. To take the guess work out of this, visit their site and read their manuals.

 

[newfmp3]

nad claims they can run 2 ohms, yet alone 4.

 

[anamorphic96]

Nad does not claim 2 ohms driven. Just dynamic output. Big difference.

 

[Dinkar Rai]

i checked. NAD is the only one rated for 4 ohms. the one comparable to the 2500 is also about 50% costlier. is it that much better to take care of the price difference?

 

[MacManNM]

3- 4/6 ohm speakers or 8 ohm speakers with a sensitivity rating less than 91dB could be considered "inneficient"

I wanted to help clear up a couple of things here.

A 91 db Speaker @ 8 ohms is not the same as a 91 db speaker @ 4 ohms.

In reality the 4 ohm speaker is 88db.

I don't recomend using any of the mid line receivers to drive a low Z load. If there is a question, take an Ohm meter, and measure the DC resistance of the speaker (at the speaker terminals). This reading is the absolute lowest load your amp can see, so if the DCR is 6 ohms, then I'd say its ok.


Now you get into some of the wierd speakers, like the Polk RTi10. These are rated at 8 ohms. They have the ability to be bi-amped, so when the straps are removed, they actually read as 2 8 ohm speakers, but when the straps are on, they are in parallel, 4 ohms.

Be carefull and make sure you check out what you buy first.
Good luck all.