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Speaker ratings, how to interpret?

Can someone clue me in on how to interpret the impedence side of speaker ratings? The sensitivity in dB is pretty straightforward but the impedence ratings are less intuitive (for me anyway). So when a speaker is said to be nominally 6 ohms, minumum 4 ohms, what is this conveying? Especially in relation to choosing suitable amplification.

My confusion centers around the link (or lack of) between the dB and ohms ratings. Example, speakers having the same 91dB rating but one being nominally 4 ohms, the other 8 ohms. What will be the practical difference when choosing an amp?

Is there a layman's reference (book, internet, etc) for these sorts of questions?

TIA,

Thomas
tmitchell
clueless
763 posts
 
Bomarc: Well, as usual, it's hard to say clearly all you mean in these short posts and, when you make the distinction between "specs" and "measurements", I tend to agree with you. Sometimes I think some folks around here are measurement adverse and so I periodically go off the deep end.

Sincerely, I remain
clueless
763 posts
 
T, If you still need a few internet sources let me know.

I remain,
sean
6,231 posts
 
Bomarc, that is a good point. Unfortunately, we tend to HOPE that the "specs" are actually based on REAL measurements of the equipment, not just marketing hype that paints a pretty picture. I guess that this is why i still like reading Stereophile, as they are about the only ones that really do provide hard facts and data in their reviews. Giving sonic impressions is fine, but as we all know, how something sounds in a different system to someone else could be COMPLETELY different. Sean
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bomarc
501 posts
 
Yes, Clueless, I kinda suspected you and I were more in agreement than not. "Measurement" sometimes seems to be a dirty word around here. It needs people to stick up for it.
clueless
763 posts
 
Sean: I haven't read stereophile for awhile because I shook my head over a couple reviews a couple years ago. You find them helpful and among best nowadays? Maybe I should take a second look. The only thing i been reading regularly is audioXpress.

Sincerely, I remain
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