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Thread: Understanding speaker impedance

  1. #1
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

    Default Understanding speaker impedance

    I understand that if one is creating a 3 way speaker using a tweeter, mid-range and woofer then it is advisable to select drivers of near equal impedance. My question is:

    If the tweeter and woofer are 8 ohms and the mid-range is 16 ohms what are the consequences?
    Source
    SW1X Universal Music Server UMS I Signature with Power Supply Unit PSU I Signature
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    Audiolab 6000 CDT transport
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    Pre amps -- Hi fi Collective twin mono ladder stepped attenuator, with Charcroft Z-foil and silver wired. And First Watt B1 active no gain buffer.
    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
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    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
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  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    You can mix them, I have fitted 4 ohm tweeters in an 8 ohm speaker, you just have to calculate the crossover values accordingly.

    With a 16 ohm mid you will have slightly limited max power from the power amp, but doubt you will be playing at max power

  3. #3
    Join Date: Apr 2016

    Location: Bishops Stortford

    Posts: 1,250
    I'm Chris.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Firebottle View Post
    You can mix them, I have fitted 4 ohm tweeters in an 8 ohm speaker, you just have to calculate the crossover values accordingly.

    With a 16 ohm mid you will have slightly limited max power from the power amp, but doubt you will be playing at max power
    Thanks Alan, that all sounds quite straight forward.

    Not sure the right words to ask this, but being a higher impedance will the 16 ohm driver be more difficult to drive and therefore quieter than say an 8 ohm version of the same driver in the same speaker?
    Source
    SW1X Universal Music Server UMS I Signature with Power Supply Unit PSU I Signature
    SW1X USB II
    SW1X DAC III Special
    Audiolab 6000 CDT transport
    Amps
    Pre amps -- Hi fi Collective twin mono ladder stepped attenuator, with Charcroft Z-foil and silver wired. And First Watt B1 active no gain buffer.
    Power amps -- Welborne 45 SET monoblocks 1.8W / Decware Taboo 6W / Elekit 300B TU-8600SVK plus further improved components 9W / ICE Power 1000W
    Speakers
    Highly modified Endorphin P17 open baffle speakers containing both vintage and modern alnico drivers and paper cones. All silver wired - 8" Cube Audio FC8 full range drivers and vintage 15" Altec VOTT 416 bass drivers. All sat on Townsend Audio Podium seismic isolation platforms.
    BK Electronics XLS400FF Sub.
    Cabling
    Silver mains cables, interconnects and speaker cables by SW1X
    Headphones
    HRT HeadStreamer and SennHeiser HD650 headphones

  4. #4
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    The output level is going to be down to the sensitivity of the unit, you may have to adjust the levels to the other units to match.

    Best to use units of matching sensitivity if possible.

  5. #5
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: South Wales

    Posts: 9,151
    I'm NotTakingLifeTooSeriouslyTheseDays.

    Default

    Keeping the sensitivity of each driver the same does simplify the situation, but the more drivers you use, obviously the more complicated the cross-over, but still very doable if you understand the drivers your going to use, [Driver spec sheets are very useful ] and therefore how to utilise them, to cover the frequency response they are best suited at!
    Good luck with them.
    A...
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