RT10 Force 4 ohm?

Drastlin

I have a Adcom GFA-5503 and it puts out 200 watts at 8 ohm and 300 at 4 ohms. I have a pair of monitor 60's that are 200 watt but I want to get some RT10's. Since the RT10's want 300 watts, is it somehow possible to force my amp to put out 300 watts at 8 ohms , probably not a good idea but wondering if it is possible.

PolkWannabie

Are you sure you mean the older RT10's as opposed to the newer RTi10's ?

http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/rti10/

They want ?! 300 watts ? ... or that's the upper end of the range that they can handle ?

In any case 200 watts should be plenty ... and ... no it's not really possible ... you'd need a different amp ...

danger boy

200watts @ 8ohms is fine.. don't fret over trying to push 8ohm speakers with a 4ohm load.

Dennis Gardner

Your amp is rated for 200 watts at a reasonable distortion level. Your amp might reach 300 watts at 8 ohms but with so much distortion that it will destroy speakers.

Speakers don't want power, they are rated to handle power.

BTW, 300 watts is only 1.5 dB louder than 200 watts and most ears can't tell the difference.

Drastlin

dang only 1.5 db higher with 300 watts, that is almost nothing. Thanks for the info everyone, keeping me from blowing some stuff up.

cfrizz

I can confirm this statement.

I went from 205wpc @ 8ohms to 405wpc @ 8ohms and I cannot tell the difference. Both let my speakers perform to their full capacity!

Dennis Gardner wrote:

Your amp is rated for 200 watts at a reasonable distortion level. Your amp might reach 300 watts at 8 ohms but with so much distortion that it will destroy speakers.

Speakers don't want power, they are rated to handle power.

BTW, 300 watts is only 1.5 dB louder than 200 watts and most ears can't tell the difference.

PolkWannabie

Each doubling of power allows a 3dB increase. Higher power amps only provide more headroom or if you prefer, the ability to turn it up louder without distortion.

cfrizz

Ok I get it. However, in todays HT having lots of headroom is a very important thing!

But also having that additional power makes sure that your speakers are articulating all of the music that is there.

I still am amazed of playing old cd's and still picking up instruments playing that I never noticed when I just had the speakers hooked up to my receiver.

PolkWannabie wrote:

Each doubling of power allows a doubling of volume or a 3dB increase. Higher power amps only provide more headroom or if you prefer, the ability to turn it up louder without distortion.

PolkWannabie

As you pointed out ... important with music as well ...

McLoki

PolkWannabie wrote:

Each doubling of power allows a doubling of volume or a 3dB increase. Higher power amps only provide more headroom or if you prefer, the ability to turn it up louder without distortion.

Actually a doubling of power allows for a 3db increase as you mentioned, but it is about the minimum increase the most people can tell is louder. To double the volume requires a 10db increase in volume and that requires 10times the power.

Just wanted to clarify.

Michael

BTW - to the original point, 200wpc is fine - dont worry about it

PolkWannabie

Right ... My mistake ... Post corrected ...