Are 8 ohm speaks better than 4 ohm ?

beardog03

I have been "polk`n" around reading up on tubes and such, and have become somewhat engrossed in my Cary Audio gear.

I love my Pre amp (SLP98L-F1), but I still find it un-natural to hook the speakers up out of phase, as it is an inverting type......it just seems like I`m hooking it up wrong or backwards..:rolleyes:

I will one day own the Cary SLP-05....that will be my last Pre-amp

I have been looking for anything written on the Cary V12 amp that I have ....and love by the way.

My question has become this...

Is it better to have 8 ohm or 4 ohm speaks ?

I read the reviews on my amp, and they all used 8 ohm speaks...and in one of them said "The V12 loved the AudioQuest Everest speaker cables, which I ran on the 8 ohm taps, as recommended by Cary's Dennis Had. I tried the 4 ohm tap, but Had was right—8 ohms did the trick."

My 9`s are of course 4 ohm, so I think that in order to realize my amp true potential, I must get some 8 ohm speaks....(looks like I need to talk to Mark after all!)

I would like to one day get the Cary F1 V12`s Mono Blocks, but for now my lowly F1 SLP-98 and "stereo" V12 will have to do !!

I think maybe instead of getting some new tubes, I should try some Totems, or Sonus, or something other than my 9`s..

Besides, alot of folks are recommending the tubes that I`m running now anyway !!;)

whadaya think ?

ben62670

I like 4 ohms speakers. You get more power out of SS amps from them. With tubes I don't think it really matters. You just use the appropriate tap. The ohm rating doesn't dictate the quality of the speaker.
Ben

Systems

ben62670 wrote: »

The ohm rating doesn't dictate the quality of the speaker.

Correct,it's things like the frequency response,crossover design,driver quality etc that determine quality not impedance.

beardog03

Is one easier to drive over the other ?

Is that why my Parasoun gets 500w @ 4ohm and only 350 @ 8 ?

ben62670

The 4ohms is less resistant than the 8ohm. It allows more currant to pass through. The amp works harder at lower resistance, and this can be a concern with lower quality amps. This is why LSI's really need an amp, and nearly all receivers in stores like BB, and CC can't drive them properly.
Ben

beardog03

ah !

My Para 3500 does well !

My tubes seem to do well also, I just thought that Dennis Had prefered 8ohm speaks with this amp....I could have read it wrong

I`m going to hook my RT38i`s up and see how they sound

the 38`s only have about, maybe, 30 hrs on them !

brand new purchase a few years back....cherry in flavor
I used theas rear surrounds for maybe 8 or 9 movies before I put all the Lsi`s into HT duty...

I now have the 9`s in 2ch duty, with my newly broke in, newly purchased 7`s sitting on the sidelines waiting to be put in...somewhere !!

F1nut

I just thought that Dennis Had prefered 8ohm speaks with this amp....I could have read it wrong

You did.

RuSsMaN

Generally speaking, I always use the 4ohm taps, regardless of speaker impedance. Speaker impedance usually varies so much over the entire frequency response, and I've more often than not found the sound more linear on the 4 ohm taps, regardless of speaker 'nominal' impedance. If the amp is built like a brick sh!thouse (as all amps should be), draw the current already, what are you saving it for?

Cheers,
Russ