Impedance? What is it?

Question

I have a reciever that I believe is made for 8 ohms of Impedance but i want to buy a set of speakers but their Impedance is 6ohms, will these speakers damage my system?

Answer 1

Gman is right.

Impedance is kind of like friction for electrical impulse. The greater the friction ( or impedance) the harder it is for the current to flow. Material that has great conductive properties like copper and silver and platinum has very low impedance. Speakers have an impedance. The amplifiers are designed to have a working tolerance range for impedance. The lower the impedance the more power can be drawn from the amplifier, but the greater the heat and distortion generated in the amplifier. Most amps are fairly safe to 4 Ohms and very good ones are rated to 2 Ohms.

Answer 2

If your receiver is rated at 8 ohms ( a measurement of resistance a.k.a. impedance) then your 6 ohm speakers will work fine. Most amplifiers/receivers are rated at 4~8 ohm speaker compatibility and anything in this range will work. If your speakers were rated at 2 ohms or less I'd say not to do it as this may cause the amplifier circuit to overheat.

Answer 3

All amplifiers are made without one final component, when a loudspeaker is connected it complete a circuit in the amp, which sees the speaker as a needed 'variable resistor,' the higher the value the more the amp has to work, but too low and there is problems too, this can let direct current flow from the electric wall plug straight into the speaker if it falls to 0ohm, this is why most speakers are rated at average 4-8ohm, 6 represent no real problem!