16 ohm speakers: any amp sounds better with more resolution. speaker cables less critical.


First,
  
Thanks to anyone who responds with whatever answers/opinions/advice comes from this. I'm retired, covid bound, Donna is taking care of everything holiday related, too much time, always curious.
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I happened across this in an old thread started by Ralph (atmasphere)

"Sixteen ohms, BTW is a very simple means for getting more resolution out of your system, as nearly every amplifier made sounds better on 16 ohms than it will on 4 or 8 ohms. Speaker cables become far less critical too."

My speakers are 16 ohms (Electrovoice horn tweeter, horn mid, 15" woofer, crossover, rheostats, from 1958).
Extremely efficient, I have more than enough power. Amp, now and in the past all had 16 ohm taps.
Of course I can hook them up to my Cayin's 8 ohm taps now and listen, but facts, opinions, advice, to learn is good.
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Lots of Questions? 

1. why/how do 16 ohm speakers make amps sound better, with more resolution? 

2. why speaker cables less critical? perhaps this is why I/we don't hear cable differences in my system?
I'm using my homemade twisted pair of cat 5 now (8 individually insulated small diameter solid core).

3.  to get exterior bias control: use 8 ohm tap for my 16 ohm speakers? (get alternate amp 4/8 no 16 tap,)

lose advantage(s)? 'sounds better'; 'more resolution'; 'speaker cables less critical'? 

this says slightly more mids:

http://blog.hughes-and-kettner.com/ohm-cooking-101-understanding-amps-speakers-and-impedance/

I can fine tune my speakers via their two rheostats: 'presence' and 'brilliance', so not really an issue for me.

4. Importance of Bias Control

how important is Bias? (I don't care about heat, power output, or tube life, just as bias affects sound). Frankly, using vintage tube receiver Fisher 500C, 800C and Fisher Mono Blocks 80Z, I have never checked or adjusted bias. I just put the control in the center position when cleaning insides/controls.

I have always used 16 ohm taps of various vintage tube and SS amps and newer current tube Cayin A88T. (original version, the only one with 16 ohm taps). It's bias control is internal, versions with safer external bias do not have 16 ohm taps.

5. replace their two rheostats? ('presence' and 'brilliance': copper wire-wound on ceramic body, mid/neutral position).
I have them in neutral position now, l/r frequency response equal.   

do I need to keep rheostats 16 ohms? use 8 ohm rheostat with 16 ohm drivers?

sales sheet says 16 ohm, but data sheet shows range 1.0 to 5k ohms. 

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/303/controls_rheostats-1228697.pdf

does that mean, the drivers will draw whatever they draw (varies thru frequency range anyway), doesn't matter as long as rheostat range starts 1.0 ohm, extends past say 100.0 ohms?

https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/303/controls_rheostats-1228697.pdf

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thanks, Elliott











elliottbnewcombjr
@clio09 , Hi clio, I wanted better dispersion so that everyone seated on the sofa (watching movies) would have the same frequency balance. I am sure the Sound Labs will suit that purpose. ESLs are very simple devices. I suspect if there is going to be any change in sound quality it will be in the design of the interface which in the case of the Sound Labs has been upgraded on several occasions. Like any ESL they need the right amp to sing and I know I have a pair that suit wonderfully. We shall see.

Ralph - the Wagner you cite, what is your reference LP for that ?
best to you in the new year ?
London/Decca Solti conducting the London Philharmonic. My copy is a London 'Blue Back'.
Elliott,
.4 should equal 40 millivolts yes. That’s where I would set it. Spoke w/Steve today & he’ll be glad to assist you. And yes, the 8 ohm “shop” load should be fine 👍
L Pads are Staying!

Full on mid and full on tweet ((similar to removing them) was not good!

I messed about with them for quite a while. It is again clear to me that these speakers were designed with the control of mid to woofer and tweeter to mid in mind.

The center position is their designed default, then carefully adjust. Then, as I have said, getting L and R matched is not easy, but I have my methods and experience with them in different spaces/locations for 43 years, especially using McIntosh Mode control to move stereo/mono/l/r this way and that.

Next: Cassandra Wilson; Annie Lennox; Friday Night in San Fran 3 guitarists; Andreas Vollenweider; War of the Worlds. Rare Earth, Mickey Hart, Oscar Peterson.

The advantages are clear, they have sounded fabulous all these years, using the controls in the listening space is an asset, and as I age, as my/our high frequency hearing naturally diminishes, I will be able to boost the tweeter year by year.



0.4V = 400mV, not 40mV
And 0.4V doesn’t make sense as a bias voltage for an amplifier output tube. It’s way too little. Also grid bias should read out as a negative voltage with respect to ground or with respect to cathode voltage.