Ohms advice please

[admin_exported]

I have just bought the Yamaha 1067 and Dali Lektor 1's and 2's as my front and rear speakers. Stupidly I thought they would both be 8 ohms but on getting them home found out that the 1's are 6 ohms. The Yamaha can be set for 4, 6 or 8 ohms. Having read various posts on speaker ohms I am still unsure whether I should set the amp for 6 or 8 ( I am tending towards 6 as it would seem the safer from what I have read).

I would welcome any advice on this.

 

[strapped for cash]

I'd select the 6 Ohm setting on the Yamaha, just to ensure it doesn't run too hot. Presuambly the receiver is well ventilated? Assuming you don't play movies at ridiculous volumes I can't imagine you'd have any real problems? Also, if you're running a sub the lowest frequencies (which suck up the most power) will be handled by the sub's internal amplifier. In other words, I wouldn't panic about this; though it's sensible to select an impedance setting that matches your front speakers (especially the centre channel, which will output the greatest proportion of a film's soundtrack).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the reply. Funnily enough it's the bigger speakers (front) that are 8 ohms as is the centre speaker. The volume is never that loud (have a wife and neighbours). Think it sensible to take the advice and go for the 6.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Indeed: set the receiver for the lowest impedance in your speaker set.

 

[strapped for cash]

I'm just wondering, since only the rears are 6 Ohm speakers, if the fronts would sound less dynamic by dropping down to the 6 Ohm setting? Perhaps leaving the impedance setting at the default 8 Ohms and setting the rear channels to "small" would be sensible, in terms of getting the very best out of the system with relatively little risk? Not that I wish to question your advice, Andrew...

In my system I have 8 Ohm rated B&Ws on front and centre duties and Q Acoustics QAV rears (which are rated at 4 Ohms but recognised as "small" speakers by my receiver). My Yamaha RX-V1065 is set to 8 Ohms and never runs worryingly hot.

I didn't realise upon posting my original reply that only your rear speakers were rated at 6 Ohms.