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Cary cad120s running 4 ohm speakers?

Hi everyone I was wondering if some one uses or experimented with speakers that are a 4 ohm load. With the cary 120s amp?

I am currently looking at Totem Acoustic Element Metals which are a 4 ohm load but are 91db efficient.

I was originally looking at the Totem Element Earths which are 88db efficient and an 8 ohm load. But hearing how loud the metals being played with a triode corp 30watt 6ohm ultra liner amp. Can not imagine the juice pumped out by my 60 watt triode cary tube amp could run these, or even in ultra liner mode.

So my biggest question is anyone running the cad 120s on a 4ohm speaker load?
128x128jakecanada
brf
1,715 posts
 
The Totem is a 4ohm "nominal" rating. You will need to look at the speaker's impedance over the entire frequency range to see where the dips and valleys. Tube amps don't like wide impedance swings. One of the draw backs of the Cary is the absence of alternate output impedance taps like their bigger brothers.

There are always exceptions in audio, but most Totem owners run their speakers with ss amplification. On "paper" not the best match.
polk432
1,142 posts
 
You should have no problem running 4 ohm speakers. I've run both on mine without any problems. The CAD 120 is more powerful than you may think. You may not even need ultra linear mode. I'm using the Cary SLP98P pre that has plenty of gain, and have run Klipsch Quartets, Forte, Chorus, Linn Katans, Ninkas, Majik 140's, Lipinski L707's, and Wilson Witt series II speakers with no troubles ever. Best of luck.
jerroot
104 posts
 
Agree with Polk432, you should not have any problems. For two years I ran my Totem Mani-2's with a Cary CAD-120S Mkii, and they are significantly less efficient the the Elements. If your pre is not of a significantly higher gain like Polk's you might consider having Cary upgrade your 120 to the Mkii. Have fun. Beautiful amp that CAD-120.
brf
1,715 posts
 
I could never get my Totem Mani-2 to work with tubes. Not even close or even at low volumes. My ML 20.6 mono ss amps just got them going. I hope the Element series are a " lot" more efficient and have a benign impedance curve than the Mani-2.

When ever I see a 4 ohm speaker with a min recommended power rating of 50-300wpc I always exercise concern when considering tubes.
jerroot
104 posts
 
Brf-
In my experience, I can wholeheartedly agree with you up to a point. I auditioned five amps, none of which could drive them well enough. I almost gave up on them before I settled in with the Cary, although bottom end was still a little bit looser than I prefer. Two years later I switched to Rogue Audio M-180's with KT120's everything fell into place, and I haven't looked back. So, yes, I found the Mani-2's very difficult to drive with tubes, but not impossible.
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