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Thread: Suggestions for a newbie |
    
New member Username: Davewest
Post Number: 1
Registered: Oct-09
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 12:41 am: |
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Hi there. I need suggestions on speakers for my shop. I have a Yamaha RX-396 on the way and need 2 sets of bookshelf speakers that will perform well. They will live in my woodshop, so handling volume is important, and decent sound wouldnt hurt either. I dont want to spend too much, but neither do I want something I cant hear over the machinery either.
I have a set of Sharp CP-DK257N bookshelf type speakers. They are rated at 4 ohms, 80 watts. From what I can tell, its not advisable to run 4 ohm speakers with an 8 ohm receiver. ? Im tempted to try them out, but dont want to damage the receiver as Ive read is possible. What are your thoughts on that?
Another question. The yamaha is 2 channel receiver, 50 watts per channel, with A and B speaker selector. Does this mean 50 watts per channel for the A set, and 50 watts for the B set of speakers? (Told ya I was a newbie!)
Again, I need 2 sets of speakers, and most of my money is wrapped up in tools, so be gentle with the price considerations ;)
Thanks |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantz
I come from ...
Post Number: 2547
Registered: Nov-05
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 12:54 am: |
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Dave, yes do not run those 4 ohm speakers.
You have a 50 watt receiver and you want some volume because these will be located in a woodshop. I hope you are not expecting to listen over a buzz saw:-)
You'll need some fairly sensitive speakers - preferably 90db @1 watt and better and with an 8 ohm nominal impedence. Don't take too much notice of speaker wattage except some don't handle all that well without decent power driving them.
Google various brands - KEF comes to mind with thier high sensitivity. I'm sure others will chime in with more brands to look out for. As far as sound quality goes - we can't tell you what your ears will like. |
New member Username: Davewest
Post Number: 2
Registered: Oct-09
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 01:10 am: |
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Probably should clarify that volume issue. I dont hope to hear anything over any saws, buzz or otherwise. But I would consider hearing music over the lgentle hum of my cordless drivers a huge improvement!
Thanks for the info |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13654
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 06:14 am: |
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The 50wpc would include both A and B speakers, as the speakers are essentially run together from the receiver, so 4 8ohm speakers will fare no better than 2 4ohm speakers.
This is without looking up your specs.
you will gain slightly more volume and cover more space with 4 speakers, but it would be try and find out if the Yammy will run them without getting very hot. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3113
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 09:03 am: |
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I'll chime in here since I have the RX-496, one step up from yours Dave. I used to use it in my basement/home gym running both A/B speakers at the same time. I was running some PSB Alpha's (6 ohms, I believe) and various other speakers, including Paradigm Titans and Paradigm Studio 20's. This combination would go to absolutely ear-splitting volumes, as I'm sure yours would with any reasonably sensitive speakers. I had no problem hearing my music while running on the dreadmill.
I would heed the guys' advice to stay away from 4 ohm loads, though, as I believe the manual warns against this. |
New member Username: Davewest
Post Number: 3
Registered: Oct-09
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 02:37 pm: |
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Thanks for all the info folks. I think I understand the ohms/resistance issue, roughly, but maybe not enough.
Assuming I could run 6 ohm speakers, as David Mitchell did, does running a pair of them on A and a pair of them on B increase the strain (for lack of a better word) on the receiver more than running just 2?
Thanks |
Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigne
Dallas,
TX
Post Number: 14036
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 06:35 pm: |
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Yep! A + B is wired in parallel and drops the overall impedance by roughly half of the lowest impedance of the two sppakers. 6 Ohm speakers have a tendency to dip down to 3-4 Ohms which when combined would be quite low for your receiver at anything above very low volume levels. Stick to 8 ohm speakers and do your homework to make certain they are not 8 ohm speakers that dip down to 4 Ohms somewhere in their frequency range. If you intend to run four speakers, they all need to have no lower than 6 Ohms as their minimum and even with that you should be adding a speaker selector switch box with a "protection" switch added. Unfortunately, your Yamaha, as with most other receivers, just doesn't care much for low impedance loads.
. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3116
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Tuesday, October 06, 2009 - 07:49 pm: |
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For what it's worth Dave, I've driven my Yamaha with said speaker combination for an extended period of time at fairly loud volumes (not louder than a buzzsaw, mind you) with no issues.
But I'd definitely heed Jan and Nuck's warnings just so you're not out shopping for a new receiver anytime soon. |
