Changing Speaker Resistence in receiver Setup

S

snjadhav

Audiophyte
Hi

The B&W DM603 S3s are set up as 6 Ohms (they are 8 Ohms) in the receiver setup (initial setp).

I have no performance concerns; however, I am concerned if the receiver is working harder to pump more current due the set up.

Can anyone help me understand if I change the speaker setting to 8 Ohms; the receiver will run cooler? Any other benefits / tradeoffs of changing this setting will be useful.

Thanks
SJ
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
If the speakers are 8 Ohms, you should leave the setting at 8 Ohms. Even if they are 6 Ohms, you should leave it at the 8 Ohm setting (and just don't turn it all the way up for long periods of time).

Receivers provide that kind of setting to meet UL requirements for driving low impedance speakers. It steps down the rail voltage, thus reducing the amount of current that will flow. It's to prevent the receiver from working too hard to drive low impedance speakers and thus getting overly hot.
 
mike c

mike c

Audioholic Warlord
MDS said:
Even if they are 6 Ohms, you should leave it at the 8 Ohm setting (and just don't turn it all the way up for long periods of time).
how "long" is this long period of time?
if i do turn it up for that long, which will give out first ... amp or speakers?
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I would recommend never changing that setting from 8 Ohms. My understanding is, it actually limits your current due to the lower impedance setting. You are better off with the 8 Ohm setting, especially if your speakers are 8 Ohm... Your receiver will not run cooler, since it is only driving 8 Ohm nominal speakers.
 
B

brianm

Audiophyte
Would this also apply if all the speakers were 4 Ohm speakers? I had an Outlaw 1050 (which I plan to upgrade to the new 1070 model), and I have 4 Ohm speakers but had kept the switch in the 4 Ohm position. Do you think I should set it to the 8 Ohm position? I usually listen under low to moderate levels and rarely blast it.

Thanks,

- Brian
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
1050 has a pretty solid power supply, as does the 1070 I'm sure, so I think it will handle 4 Ohm speakers. I'm not familiar with these guys I don't know how they handle that switching, so that may be a question you might want to ask Outlaw directly. I have a buddy here at work who has a 1050, I'll ask him too.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I asked my buddy. He said that people on the Outlaw forum say the 1050 safely runs fairly demanding 4 Ohm speakers (Polk LSi9s) fine when switched to 4 Ohm mode.
 
B

brianm

Audiophyte
I'll check with Outlaw also. I do remember that when I first got my 1050 I had asked them and they said to definitely switch it to 4 ohm when using 4 ohm speakers.
 
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