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Impdence Question

In experimenting with an unusual loudspeaker enclosure for which only a certain high-end car speakers fit the design criteria, there is concern about their low impedance damaging the amplifier. Driver impedance ranges from 2.8 ohms to 3.4 ohms. Will this do harm? And if several speakers are used in a 5.1 surround setup, does this increase the load and the chance of damage?

If the low impedance is indeed risky, is their any means of raising it perhaps by placing something in the chain (other than wiring a pair together for series or parallel operation)?

Thank you in advance.
silas

Showing 2 responses by mlsstl

mlsstl
1,467 posts
 
It completely depends on the amplifier involved. Some amps do well with low impedance loads, others don't.

Among the amps that don't do well with low impedance loads the results can vary from distortion or the protection circuit engaging all the way to damaging the amp by shorting the output devices.

Check your amp's owners manual.

The only practical way to increase driver impedance is to either wire two drivers in series or use a transformer. (Transformers are normally used on tube amps for impedance matching but they can be used on solid state amps, too.)
mlsstl
1,467 posts
 
...Do not connect speakers in series...

Point taken, but this is a "pick your poison" issue. I'd take possibly making my bass quality a bit worse off as opposed to burning out an amp.

You will recall that our original poster stated that "only a certain high-end car speakers fit the design criteria." It sounds like he has looked for other drivers and not found any. In situations like that, one is often left with choosing the lesser of two evils.
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