Thanks guys. I know this is rudimentary stuff, but that's where I am....learning the rudiments. Thanks for all the insight. One day in the not too distant future I'll have sufficient knowledge that I'll be able to appreciate something like the Tannoy's that Shadorne mentioned. Cutting my teeth on the more affordable stuff that is out there in abundance for now and establishing a reference as I slowly move into better equipment.
Speaking of ohm rating....the Paradigms are 8 ohm. Don't recall what the Polks are, but is an amp automatically able to drop to 4 ohm and double its output if it is hooked up to an 4 ohm speaker? I understand that the lower resistance enables the amp to double its power output, but not clear on the science behind this and the effect it has on the relationship between the power source and speaker. Can all amps go down to 4 ohm or does it have to be designed into it? Anybody care to give me a layman's explanation on this (as I'm not fluent in the electrical engineering vernacular).
Speaking of ohm rating....the Paradigms are 8 ohm. Don't recall what the Polks are, but is an amp automatically able to drop to 4 ohm and double its output if it is hooked up to an 4 ohm speaker? I understand that the lower resistance enables the amp to double its power output, but not clear on the science behind this and the effect it has on the relationship between the power source and speaker. Can all amps go down to 4 ohm or does it have to be designed into it? Anybody care to give me a layman's explanation on this (as I'm not fluent in the electrical engineering vernacular).