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Resolved Question

Purchasing an Inexpensive 4 Ohm Amp or Receiver

Aug 3, 2011 9:05AM PDT

Hello,
I have some 25 year-old Allison CD7 speakers I have always loved. Unfortunately, my old Harmon Kardon Receiver left channel no longer works. I naively went out and bought a Sherwood receiver from Radio Shack without considering speaker-matching. The receiver output at 8 ohms, and through my Allisons, there is a lot of distortion, even at low volumes.

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Best Answer

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Link, comment.
Aug 3, 2011 9:21AM PDT
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That Link Doesn't Really Help Me
Aug 3, 2011 10:13AM PDT

I appreciate the response, but unless I am reading that link incorrectly, all that it indicates is that if the 8 ohm receiver doesn't overheat, then it won't damage the receiver.

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No.
Aug 3, 2011 10:56AM PDT
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still confused..
Aug 3, 2011 8:46PM PDT

Bob, are we saying I could put an additional resistor between my 8 ohm receiver output and my 4 ohm speakers? Wouldn't that just increase the ohms linearly? It seems we are going in the wrong direction (unless I am again missing something here..)

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Let's hope it's linear!
Aug 4, 2011 3:10AM PDT

If you recall you basic Electronics, resistors in series add up. So 4+4 = 8 and we have the right impedance.

I noted why it's not a great solution but at least it gets up back to where the load is spot on.
Bob

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I definitely need to brush up on electronics basics
Aug 4, 2011 7:28AM PDT

I definitely don't get electronics of audio equipment. But I trust that what you say is right. I am more concerned with damaging my speakers than my $100 receiver from Radio Shack, so if putting a 4 ohm resistor between the speaker and receiver only hurts the receiver, I can live with that. I think I will try this technique and see what happens. Hey, its certainly an expensive solution of it works reasonably well!

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Odd, how could it hurt?
Aug 4, 2011 7:35AM PDT

I'm just some old electronics designer so how could an 8 ohm load whether it be the 4 ohm speaker with the added 4 ohms or an 8 ohm speaker?

Something is lost in translation here.

Let's say we have 8 pounds of stone or 8 pounds of sand. Both in the trunk of your car would be equal?

It's like saying one could damage the car?
Bob

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I'm sure you know what you are saying
Aug 4, 2011 12:51PM PDT

I read somewhere on some forum or other that putting a 4 ohm resistor in there can do something wrong to amp or speaker, but maybe I imagined it.. At any rate I'll try the resistor and see what happens. Thanks again!

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Just to repeat it in case you need it.
Aug 4, 2011 1:01PM PDT
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There's no magic bullet per se
Aug 4, 2011 12:06AM PDT

If you step back and actually consider what's written on the site that Bob provided, it's all there. There's no magic bullet. A modest priced "mid-fi" standard receiver should be more than adequate provided you don't seek out rock concert volume levels at home.