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speaker survey - what impedance/ brand/model do you have


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I'm mainly using a pair of LaScala's. With ALK contant impedance network, they come in at 6 ohms.

I want to consolidate a list of commonlly used speakers and their impedance values.

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Just for the record, the impedence attribute is defined for speakers in IEC standard (IEC60268-3) which allows any "increase" above the rated value, but limits the "decrease". The standard does not allow the impedance to fall below the 80 % of the nominal value at any frequency, including DC.

The old Heresy I is called 8 ohms by convention, but since it's lowest impedence is about 10 ohms, it actually qualifies as a 16 ohm speaker (80% of 16 is 12.8).

The 80% levels for nominal values:

4 Ohm - - lowest point above 3.2 ohm

8 ohm - - lowest point above 6.8 ohm

16ohm - - lowest point above 12.8 ohm

Also to keep in mind, the nominal ohm taps on the output transformer of a tube amp may be slightly different than the printed convention - some Magnequests' "8ohm" taps are really 9 ohm on the spec sheets... every little bit helps.

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I want to consolidate a list of commonlly used speakers and their impedance values.

There have been a few very intresting responses....some speakers claim 8 ohms, but dip down very, very low, or in some cause, very high.

If you look at a LaScala, most believe it is an 8ohm speaker, but it is actually 28 ohms thru most of it's mid range.

I have a simular question cooking about amplifiers and tap settings.

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Somewhere in the Dope From Hope there is a paper on the effects of high impedence on compression horns - it's a good thing! The rising impedence matches well with horns by supressing the potential 'blastyness' that a horn might produce with a lower impedence signal - it's a mechanical/electrical negative feedback loop that almost perfectly compensates itself for all levels of impedence. This is why the high imp.s are OK; the old Heresy peaked at about 70 Ohms without concern.

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Somewhere in the Dope From Hope there is a paper on the effects of high impedence on compression horns - it's a good thing! The rising impedence matches well with horns by supressing the potential 'blastyness' that a horn might produce with a lower impedence signal - it's a mechanical/electrical negative feedback loop that almost perfectly compensates itself for all levels of impedence. This is why the high imp.s are OK; the old Heresy peaked at about 70 Ohms without concern.

Absolutely...with qualification.

For horns, there are impedance factors which change based solely on the horn compression area in front of the diaphram. You will often see different spec's for drivers depending on how it is mounted. Recent example is the ev182x data that Gil posted.

For horns, the right amount of accoustic induced impedance makes for less distortion.

Now in the case of amps, intresting senerio. If you take an amp that is reated at 8 homs, x amount of power, x amount of distortion, x amount of dampening factor, intresting things start to happen with amp and speaker compo's outside of the 8 ohm spec.

A 4ohm load on such an amp, will lower dampening factor, increase distortion, but increase watts. Amps with poor signal to noise ratios will sound noisy, hss, buzz, humm, etc.

A 16 ohm load on such an amp, will increae dampening factor, reduce distortion, but decrease watts. Amps with poor signal to noise ratios will function quieter in the area of hiss, buzz, and hum.

Now in the case of high spl horn drivers, the cost penalty for decreased watts at high impedances is very acceptable.

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Just for the record, the impedence attribute is defined for speakers in IEC standard (IEC60268-3) which allows any "increase" above the rated value, but limits the "decrease". The standard does not allow the impedance to fall below the 80 % of the nominal value at any frequency, including DC.

The old Heresy I is called 8 ohms by convention, but since it's lowest impedence is about 10 ohms, it actually qualifies as a 16 ohm speaker (80% of 16 is 12.8).

The 80% levels for nominal values:

4 Ohm - - lowest point above 3.2 ohm

8 ohm - - lowest point above 6.8 ohm

16ohm - - lowest point above 12.8 ohm

Also to keep in mind, the nominal ohm taps on the output transformer of a tube amp may be slightly different than the printed convention - some Magnequests' "8ohm" taps are really 9 ohm on the spec sheets... every little bit helps.

I have been told that my RF-7s will dip to about 2.8 Ohm at around 70hz by someone on this forum (do not remembr who)...If that is true and your table is acurate then they should be rated as 4 Ohm speakers...but they are rated (by Klipsch) as 8 Ohms.

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