What does Nominal Impedance mean?


What does Nominal Impedance mean?

I’m trying to decide on some new speakers (Clarisys Minute). They are rated at 86-88 sensitivity and a nominal impedance of 3.5 flat. Although graphs show it about 6 ohms from 20hz-500hz and at 2Khz and above about 3 ohms.

My present speakers, Focal Sopra 2 are rated as 91 sensitivity and 8-ohm nominal impedance, but minimum is 3 ohms.

So, I am presently using Bob Carver 350 amps (rated as 350 Amps/channel 8 ohm and 400 watts /channel 4 ohm) which are tube mono blocks. and I like to crank it up at times!

Can someone explain about Nominal Impedance and if my amp(s) will have a problem driving the Clarisys Minute speakers?

ozzy

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Showing 18 responses by ozzy

lak,

Yes, I think so. Though it will be a long wait to get them, and I will probably have to rob a bank...

ozzy

So, does that mean they will play louder or does the amp need to work harder? ozzy

dweller,

So, do you think the Carvers will drive the Clarisys Minute adequately?

ozzy

hilde45,

Thanks for that information. It's still very confusing.

So, based on the speaker specs that I have stated do you think the Carver Amps will have problem with the Clarisys Minute speakers?

ozzy

Jim Clark from Carver just replied to my email saying that the Carver amps would have no problem driving the speaker based on the specs in this posting. But I wish he had provided more detail.

Here is his reply,

"The nominal impedance is an average of the impedance curve. Many speakers vary between 2 and 20 ohms at various frequencies. Your 350's should have no problem driving them. Enjoy! Thanks, Jim"

ozzy

michaellent, randym860,

Well, that’s what I think, but sometimes you just never know how different components interact.

Still, it is so confusing trying to figure out the importance of speaker sensitivity and impedance when it comes to speakers.

Wonder why companies just don’t make speakers that are 8+ ohm and with high sensitivity? But it seems to be just the opposite, that is; many of the big-name speaker manufacturers produce speakers that are 4-ohm and low sensitivity.

Wonder why that is?

ozzy

ditusa,

Probably, but many large speaker cabinet types still have low impedance and sensitivity requiring monster amps to drive them.

ozzy

Let me ask another question:

So, does a 4-ohm speaker play louder than an 8-ohm speaker with the same amplifier and volume setting?

ozzy

czairvey,

Wow! Interesting. Most of this is over my head. I have a business degree.

ozzy

ditusa,

Your explanation makes sense and seems to concur with what I read. (somewhere).

ozzy

amir_asr, Thank you for that info. I wonder though if most tube type amps would also show a large amount of distortion? BTW, I like the sound of the Carver amps. Previously I owned Atmasphere, Pass, Krell and a few others. ozzy

I was just reading a review of the Rockport Orion speakers in The Absolute Sound by Robert Harley.

They weigh about 350lbs! Cost over $133,000 and it is still a 4-ohm speaker!

ozzy

So, I guess I understand that now, nominal impedance is just a number. Highly questionable, I guess that is so with sensitivity ratings. Different frequencies produce different amounts of energy, so that could be all over the map in reality.

But if 8 ohms is optimum then why are there so many 4-ohm speakers? I put together a DIY speaker a while back and I was able to use all 8-ohm speakers. So, the drivers are out there.

And companies like Rockport, Wilson, etc. claim to make their own drivers, but they design them with lower ohms. Why?

ozzy

esarhaddon1,

So, what number(s) are meaningful when it comes to speaker specs?

Is this what you mean by a Zobel Network?

RLC network to prevent unstable amplifiers from oscillating, to reduce distortion, and to act as an RF filter

ozzy

jjss49, erik_squires,

Thanks for that very good information. It’s interesting and confusing at the same time.

ozzy

Harriet, thank you for that info.

I must say the Townshend F1 speaker cable is the best I have ever tried/owned, and I have tried alot, perhaps it is because of the impedance network built into the cable?

ozzy