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4-ohm setting with 8 ohm speakers

I have the Nightingale CTR.2 open baffle speakers. The manufacturer claims that "the Concentus CTR-02's speakers and crossover are designed and assembled on the acoustic screen following a scheme meant to guarantee that the impedance stays linear as the frequency changes."

However, with every amplifier used with these speakers, a 4-ohm setting sounds more natural and relaxed. Now I am listening them with the Hans Labs KT-88 power amplifier. With the 8-ohm setting, the sound is more tight, bland and stringent, it sounds more like a mid-level SS amplifier. I am wondering how this can be explained from technical point of view?
transl
rrog
1,958 posts
 
VTL/Manley have always set their amps at 5.5 ohms.
arnettpartners
312 posts
 
Which relates to damping factor. Yes?
orpheus10
8,668 posts
 

The 4 ohm tap was recommended, the 4 ohm tap sounds better, I use the 4 ohm tap, case closed.
clio09
3,382 posts
 
The output tubes or transistors will see less of a load using the 4 ohm tap, perhaps maybe half of what it would using the 8 ohm tap. That is the purpose of output transformers (impedance matching), and autoformers.
Hifihvn (Answers | This Thread)

I agree with this. As I agree with Hifihvn. Another good explanation is offered by Roger Modjeski who recommends trying "light loading"his the RM-10 MkII amps. There is a pretty clear explanation as to why in the owners manual. Lower distortion and longer tube life being a couple benefits, at least where the RM-10 MkII is concerned.
almarg's avatar
almarg
9,670 posts
 
A linear impedance is not necessarily a constant impedance. For instance, a speaker having an impedance of 2 ohms at 20Hz, and 20 ohms at 20kHz, could still be described as having a linear impedance, if a plot of that variation approximated a straight line.

Without a detailed impedance plot, which doesn't seem to be available as far as I can tell via a Google search, their statement about maintaining a linear impedance tells us essentially nothing.

I agree with the suggestions to just go with what sounds best.

Regards,
-- Al
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