4 8 or 16 ohms.


Hi group I just purchased the Audio Research REF 750s mono amps. On the back for the speaker terminals are 3 sets of binding posts. 4 8 and 16 ohms. I will be using B&W Matrix 800 speakers. I believe they are 8 ohms but not 💯 sure. I looked in the manual but can’t find anything about ohms. Someone said to me it does not matter what ohms I connect my speakers to. He said just use the ones (ohms) that sound best. Does that seem right to do ? I don’t want to damage my speakers or amps.  BTW if it matters I will be using an Audio Research REF 6SE pre amp. 

128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xtattooedtrackman

What a great system you have assembled!

I’d say I was jealous, but my wife has other words for me.😁

Look at the impedance graph in the speaker review. It's all over the map.

The amp will sound different on each tap. Choose the one you like best. It won't hurt the amp or speakers.

@larryi Transformers transfer maximum power when source and load impedances are equal.

The people advising you to use the tap that sounds best to you are correct(Don't waste your time with 16 ohms). And there's np danger with any tap as advised. As to power with your amps there will be way more than enough power with both the 4 and 8 ohm taps.

It does matter. I had an amp with two sets of red binding posts. The manual made no mention of the purpose so I connected black to black and red to the post nearest to black. Long afterwards someone suggested one may be 4 Ohms and the other8. Via Audiogon I verified that and I had been connected to the wrong impedance. The sound when I corrected my mistake was clearly better. It matters.