Ohm question with home stereo receiver?

Question

Ok I am purchasing a home audio receiver, and just have a quick question about Ohms.

I already bought 2 speakers, which are 6 ohms each.

I looked for receivers and found that most are rated for 8 ohms per channel. What will happen if I connect 6 ohms and the receiver is rated for 8? Are they manufactured to accept the difference?

Answer 1

It will work fine.

Receivers are NOT rated for a particular ohm speaker. They tend to work will all of them.

What does happen is that companies like Yamaha, Denon publish power ratings for 4, 6 and 8 ohms. But since 8 ohm speakers are the most common - this is usually the most prominently printed value.

Speakers actually change their impedance from about 3 to 30 ohms.  It all depends on what sounds they are producing at the moment.

Answer 2

Nothing will happen unless you run the receiver at the full power.  6 ohm speakers will only draw more current from the receiver,  At high power levels they may cause the receiver to go into shut down from overload, but only at high power levels.

Because the ohms are 25% less, full power will be reached at half of full volume. So only run the volume up half way.

I remember repairing a stereo, the speakers were shorted to 2 ohms, they sounded just fine until the volume was cranked up, then the stereo shut down. I found out why when I measured the speakers resistance, which was 2 ohms. And that was on an 8 ohm system.

Answer 3

Most 6 Ohm speakers are compatible with 8 Ohm receivers.  What you need to be watchful for are 4 Ohms speakers if the receiver is rated at 8 Ohms only.

Unless you like to drive your speakers at a maximum level, an 8 Ohm receiver will be fine with virtually all 6 Ohm nominal speakers.