Using the correct ohm load when replacing speakers...

Two reasons:

(1) If you connect your amplifier to the wrong speaker impedance, you risk damaging the amp. In tube amps, too high a load impedance (or a disconnected load) can result in damage to the output tubes or output transformer, while in solid state amps, if the speaker impedance is lower than the amplifier impedance, the amplifier will tend to overheat and more power is used up in the amplifier than is delivered to the speaker. Too many speakers on a solid state amp can burn up the power output section.
(2) The amplifier will deliver maximum power (volume) to the speaker when the speaker impedance matches (is equal to) the internal impedance (called the OUTPUT IMPEDANCE) of the amplifier. Too low an impedance will result in weak output and poor tone. If the speaker impedance is higher than that of the amplifier, its power output will again be less than it is capable of.

If you are mixing speakers with different impedance ratings, be sure to check the total impedance using the rules above to be certain the total is within the limits of the amplifier. Solid state amps typically have a 'minimum load impedance' indicated near the speaker terminals, and the total speaker impedance must be equal to or greater than that value.

 

Uhhhhh ok.

 

I dont think I could go to sleep if this hadnt been posted.


....did you accidentally post a thread instead of a reply to a thread?

 

Isn't the ML subwoofer 12ohm?

 

Oh gheeze, Please delete this thread

 

Yes, the OP is incorrect anyway. There is no requirement to match speaker and amplifier output impedances. They are seldom the same. Usually amplifier is much lower. There is an impedance lower limit for amplifiers whereby if you go lower than the limit the amp will overheat and either fail or go into a thermal protection mode. Maybe that is what OP meant.