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the 4 ohm rating

im a little confused as to why buyers choose 4 ohm products.

now here's what got me thinking about all of this 4 ohm stuff.

i took a pair of mids into my rebuilders shop the other day to get new surrounds installed & we started talikng audio & he told me that about 75% of the blown driver's he takes in for rebuilding are 4 ohms & the other 25% was split between 8 & 16 ohms.

correct me if im wrong but when you run a amp in 4 ohms as opposed to 8 ohms isnt the amp working much harder to produce the inflated wattage at the lower ohms? & isnt a amp thats getting worked hard a bad thing?

the same goes for 4 ohm speakers,the 4 ohm rating only makes the speakers to appear to be more efficient & also creates the need for thicker cabeling for the lower ohm's.

i hope the answers can remain civil as i didnt start this thread to be a smart ass but i am wondering what(if any)advantages there are to having 4 ohm gear over 8 ohm gear.

take me to school here & learn me somthing because all im seeing is drawback's to owning 4 ohm gear.

mike.
128x128bigjoe
quadophile's avatar
quadophile
418 posts
 
Rabelais,

You really know how to explain things! :)

That was one heck of a response, not just interesting to me but anyone who stumbles upon this thread will benefit from your wisdon.

Thank you indeed.
phasecorrect's avatar
phasecorrect
2,013 posts
 
Bigjoe...although analyzing the 4 vs 8 ohm load can be fun...unless you plan on driving a 4ohm load with a clock radio at high volume(read: bad idea Bose fans!)...the ohm debate (arguement) is overated IMHO...what really matters is the STABILITY of the load itself...and a very stable 4 ohm load will be easier on an amplifier than an erratic 8 ohm load...I would find speakers you like and match accordingly...
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Phasecorrect...One of my sons did in fact drive a 4 ohm low efficiency speaker (KLH 5) with a clock radio. I told him it wouldn't work, but it did! Not a great deal of volume, but what there was sounded loads better than the clock radio speaker.
gregm
3,396 posts
 
High current design clock radio ("HCDC"), no doubt...:) Single mono (also available in dual & multi-mono)
Makes all the difference:) Cheers
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,649 posts
 
Did he try a tube clock radio? They do sound better you know. After you change the filter caps and the coupling caps. Custom wire and resistors are nice too.
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