Integra 50.1 Speaker Setting Question


I have found a setting option on my Integra 50.1 receiver that allows me to set the speakers to either 6 ohms or 4 ohms. Any idea what this changes in the amplifier and if there is any advantage to one setting or the other?

My Focal 836v speakers are rated for a nominal impedance of 8 ohms, but have a minimum impdance of about 3 ohms. Is there any reason to not set the receiver to 4 ohms and give it every available option for high current capacity?
mceljo
Are you sure that such setting gives more current (as it would with a transformer) or, simply, more protection for the AVR (as by introducing a protective resistor)? Both are known to be but I do not know what your AVR does.

Kal
Every receiver I've seen that has a separate 4 ohm setting usually does put a resister in series in the output.This reduces power,but also helps protect it from the low resistance load.In other words,it helps keep the amp in the receiver from overheating,and getting damaged.One way to tell if this is the case,check the power rating for all the channels driven times 8 ohms,and 4 ohms with all the channels driven at once.If it doesn't double,or have a large at large increase at 4 ohms,it probably has a resistor in the circuit. Checking the Integra site,it obviously uses a resistor because its consumes a maximum of 972 watts total including thermal losses. This seems to be common with a lot of receivers.Integra link.[http://www.integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DTR-50.1&class=Receiver&p=s]
The power output is rated for 130 watts @ 8 ohms. The dynamic power rating is 150 watts @ 8 ohms, 250 watts @ 4 ohms and 300 watts @ 3 ohms.

It sounds like the setting probably is more limiting in the 4 ohm configuration because it has the potential to limit the power output in order to reduce the load on the amplifier, correct?