Notices
Audio, Security, & Automotive Lighting Troubleshoot wiring problems and get equipment suggestions all in one place. Now expanded to include Automotive Lighting

ohm question for speakers

Thread Tools
 
Old 06-17-2003, 09:11 PM
  #1  
LALno1
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
LALno1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default ohm question for speakers

I've heard a lot about ohms, but haven't taken that semester of physics yet and I want to know if ohms apply to regular speakers too. Meaning not subs. I have a pair of 6x9 JL TR-690 TX's, and I wanted to know what ohm load they need. I found no specs on the box, or online. Can they work at 2 ohms?

The reason I ask, is because I am thinking about getting the kicker kx700.5 amp, and it is much more powerful for the sub at 2 ohms, but I don't know if I can run the sub at 2 ohms and the speakers at 4ohms.

If this sounds confusing, I'm sorry, but any info would be helpful.
Old 06-17-2003, 09:13 PM
  #2  
LALno1
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
LALno1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Oh by the way, I haven't purchased front speakers yet (probably going to get 6.5" JL's to match) and I don't yet have a sub (probably going to get a 10" or 12" don't know what until i get the amp)
Old 06-18-2003, 03:32 AM
  #3  
SumAccordGuy94
Older Honda Fanatic
 
SumAccordGuy94's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Adirondacks of NY
Posts: 3,154
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

car speakers are manufactured at 4 ohms... so the amp will operate at 4ohms per channel...

I'm guessing thats a 5 channel amp... running the sub at 2 ohms is fine, you will still be able to use the other 4 channels at 4 ohms each.
Old 06-18-2003, 04:39 AM
  #4  
jrich
ReMember
 
jrich's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Way Way North N.J.
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Yo
you cant change the ohm value of a speaker you can only change the what the amp see's as resistance in ohms.
run 2 4 ohm speakers in series = 8 ohm load, run 2 4 ohm speakers in parallel = 2 ohm load
every speaker is stamped somewhere showing the ohm value
a 2 ohm speaker needs lots of power to run it
great speakers can handle lots of power and be effecient as well
look for the most effecient as possible, this way your speaker will be loud without using all your power, youll have more reserve for highs and lows
Old 06-18-2003, 11:08 AM
  #5  
rcurley55
Moderator
 
rcurley55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 774
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

A few things to keep in mind:

1. A driver's impedance changes across it's bandwidth....meaning as frequency changes, so does the actual load.

2. The enclosure also has an affect

3. Amplifiers simply "see" the load and react accordingly - not the other way around.

4. Generally, speakers are listed according to their nominal load - the lowest resistance that you will find when using it under normal operating conditions.


Originally posted by jrich
run 2 4 ohm speakers in series = 8 ohm load, run 2 4 ohm speakers in parallel = 2 ohm load
This is correct, but don't make the mistake of averaging or dividing the loads to try to determine the final load, here are the proper equations where Rf is the final impedance of wiring i drivers:

For series:
Rf = R1 + R2 + R3 + ... + Ri

For parallel:
(1/Rf) = (1/R1 ) + (1/R2) + (1/R3) + ... + (1/Ri)

a 2 ohm speaker needs lots of power to run it
FALSE! A speakers coil configuration has nothing to do with it's inherent efficiency. While there are some minor changes to a driver's T/S parameters based on coil config, this is not an absolute measure of a driver's efficiency.

If you are running a pair of 2 ohm components, you acutually can run a SMALLER amp then you would if they were 4 ohm components.

That statement is almost like saying black cars are faster then blue ones....there is no real correlation.

Simply put a 2 ohm driver can extract more power from your amp then a 4 ohm driver, keeping all else equal.

look for the most effecient as possible, this way your speaker will be loud without using all your power, youll have more reserve for highs and lows
I would never shop for a speaker on efficiency alone. Efficiency can be measured in MANY different ways under many different conditions. It's very hard to compare one efficiencies across manufacturers. Efficiencies are important for those who want to use a pair of co-ax off of a head unit, past that, shop with your ears, not by some numbers printed on a piece of paper.
Old 06-18-2003, 11:31 PM
  #6  
LALno1
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
LALno1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

hey thanks everyone especially rcurley55. So I can run my 4 speakers at 4 ohms, and run the channel for the sub at 2 ohms? assuming I buy a 2 ohm sub.

And also if I decide to buy two extra speakers in the front (six total) how would I divide amp power if it is 4 channels? or would I just run 2 speakers off the deck and 4 off the amp? I don't know enough about amps or speakers at this time which is why I ask the simple questions.
Old 06-19-2003, 03:06 AM
  #7  
Kevin
Banned
 
Kevin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Iran
Posts: 3,557
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

so ure gonna run the rears first b4 having the front speakers??

wow...ur soundstage will b quite horrible...

if u do happen to get another set of speakers...the front..
my suggestion is to get something better than the rear speakers..
those will b the main speakers u listen to..
power them with ur amp <channel 1 &2>
and use the other channels <bridge 3&4> for ur sub
Old 06-19-2003, 06:32 PM
  #8  
rcurley55
Moderator
 
rcurley55's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SF, CA
Posts: 774
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Less is more.....

Get a set of components for the front, run the 6x9's in the rear, and get a sub that presents a 2 ohm load (i.e. a single voice coil 2 ohm sub, or a sub with dual 4 ohm coils).
Old 06-20-2003, 12:12 AM
  #9  
LALno1
Registered User
Thread Starter
 
LALno1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Bay Area, CA
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

Originally posted by rcurley55
Less is more.....

Get a set of components for the front, run the 6x9's in the rear, and get a sub that presents a 2 ohm load (i.e. a single voice coil 2 ohm sub, or a sub with dual 4 ohm coils).

ok, about components, I've been looking around and noticed that most component speakers come with a tweeter (so a 6.5" and a tweeter) Is this what I need to buy for the front? Or are there a lot of component speakers that are just the 6.5".

I'm going to keep going to my local audio dealers to listen to some speakers, and if I find any that sound good I will post to see if they are good or not.

Also with an amp...if the power output is about 50W RMS to each channel and my speakers want 60W RMS, is it good enough, cause I noticed that with my deck running about 22-27W (don't know actual amount) per channel, they sound decent. I'm wondering if 50W would be enough to satisfy the speakers. And if I have a set of components in the front and 6x9's in the rear and the RMS power is different for each of them, what kind of power supply do I want to give them? (Assuming the components have 50W RMS, and the 6x9's are 60W)

If you reply, thanks for answering any of my questions
Old 06-22-2003, 10:09 PM
  #10  
jrich
ReMember
 
jrich's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Way Way North N.J.
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default

rcurley
where do you get off
you can,t defy the laws of physics
ever heard of ohms law? next your going to say that shorting out the speaker wires won't put load the amp because its 0 ohms.
or gee wiss my amp sure runs hot ,duh maybe im using a lot of power to run those 2 ohm subs, sure the damn things louder but think of it, more power less efficiency/ and maybe you should research the term DYNAMIC HEADROOM.
hey man the kid asking the ?'s needs to find out if the amp he's buying is 2 ohm stable first, and hell, get a 1 ohm stable amp and then get a dual voice coil sub stick it in a box and run it in parallel.
also watch out for seperates, and the immaging of them. sometimes the placement sucks or the crossovers are crap.

i've always felt that buying speakers from manufacturers that primarily only make speakers sound better, ie:infinity, kef, boston, bose, etc. but again it's a personal thing. buy what you like to hear not some salemans idea
more later
kid my advice to you is go to your local stereo dealer for advice but dont take it as god/ flag over someone with a great sounding setup ask ?'s/ go to a sound off comp. have fun doin it and lastly never buy cheap speakers. protect them with a good clean power amp with a lot of DYNAMIC HEADROOM: and a good crossover never hurt.



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 10:52 AM.