Different Specification Speakers - A Bad Idea?

[ksquared]

If I'm trying to put together a 5.1 system, is it essential for all speakers to be of equal sensitivity and with the same impedance?

 

Could you have the center RC-64ii with 8 ohm 98dB @ 2.83 v / 1 m with the main pair of speakers as (just an extreme example) a 4 ohm 89dB @ 2.83 v / 1 m floorstanding speakers?  What about if the main speakers were 8 ohm but 105dB @ 2.83 v / 1 m, or 8 ohm but 89dB @ 2.83 v / 1 m?

 

What happens if you connect different specification speakers to an amp?  It seems it would be less than optimum, but would the amp or the speakers be damaged?

 

I am obviously a newbie with all of this, but I'm trying to set it up such that the two main speakers can serve dual-purpose with another amp (but a tube amp not a regular amp) to play only vinyl.  And I have found out that my initial idea which would have been spectacular, connecting each amp to the two floorstanding speakers, probably won't work because at some point somebody would turn both amps on and destroy everything, so I will have to have either a switch or else disconnect/connect when I'm wanting to change from home theater to vinyl.

[willland]

Well, it would be "better" to have specs close to one another but it looks like you are describing an 8ohm 98dB Klipsch with another brand 4ohm 89dB speakers.  Don't think Klipsch produces any 4ohm 89dB speakers or even 8ohm 89dB models.

 

Bill

[dtel]

Not best as Willand said, but I think an AVR can adjust or be adjusted for the difference in sensitivity/volume for individual channels, myself I wouldn't worry about the ohms. 

[ksquared]

23 minutes ago, willland said:

 it looks like you are describing an 8ohm 98dB Klipsch with another brand 4ohm 89dB speakers

 

Bill. 

OK, I did just grab some numbers, switching 98 to 89.  But I was trying to be extreme, as I'm sure 8 ohm 98dB with 8 ohm 97dB wouldn't really make much difference.

 

8 minutes ago, dtel said:

Not best as Willand said, but I think an AVR can adjust or be adjusted for the difference in sensitivity/volume for individual channels, myself I wouldn't worry about the ohms. 

 

I had wondered about the differing volume with different sensitivity, so if each channel can be adjusted that would seem to solve the problem.  I didn't think this could be done, but I checked the manual and yes, it is in there!

 

Thanks.

[willland]

Yes, it is doable.

 

Bill

[derrickdj1]

A lot of us have speakers with different sensitivity. It's pretty much the norm, lol.  The RF7, RC 64, Surrounds all have different spec's.  It is doable.  Just have an avr up to the task!.

[Ceptorman]

I wouldn't worry too much about the sensitivity rating. You can install a speaker switch like the Niles SPK-1, and connect two amps to one set of speakers safely. With a switch, only one signal will be sent to the speakers....works well.

[ksquared]

Thanks for the continued help.  It is amazing what I can find out in the manual!!!

 

I am going to have to look into Ceptorman's suggestion for the setup with two amps to one speaker.  I had wondered if it would work, instead of having a switch between the amps and the speaker, if instead it was possible to have the amps plugged into a switch somehow such that only one of the two is on.   I don't know if it matters then that technically both amps would be "connected" since both would have a connection to the same speaker?  Could one amp still send power to the other amp and hurt it?  But then you wouldn't be having any additional switches between the amps and the speaker, which must be better for the signal.