# Ask the Editors: Can You Mix and Match Speaker Impedance?



## kevon27

BEFORE YOU MESS WITH THE IMPEDANCE Switch please watch..


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## John Sully

kevon27 said:


> BEFORE YOU MESS WITH THE IMPEDANCE Switch...


Yep, just leave it at the high impedance setting. It is basically there so the amp doesn't overheat during the FTC preconditioning period when testing power for FTC purposes. Switching to the low impedance setting seriously compromises the performance of the amp in real world situations.


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## imagic

John Sully said:


> Yep, *just leave it at the high impedance setting.* It is basically there so the amp doesn't overheat during the FTC preconditioning period when testing power for FTC purposes. Switching to the low impedance setting seriously compromises the performance of the amp in real world situations.


Truth be told that's exactly what I do.


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## Blacklightning

Is this also the case for older integrated amps. My NAD stereo has a switch from the 1990s.


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## TorTorden

Blacklightning said:


> Is this also the case for older integrated amps. My NAD stereo has a switch from the 1990s.



I'm not 100% but fairly certain that's when receiver manufacturers started doing this.


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## Blacklightning

The thing is the 4ohm setting is marked as normal


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## therealdjnugz

kevon27 said:


> BEFORE YOU MESS WITH THE IMPEDANCE Switch please watch..
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ou5bO8P2Drw


Haha I was just going to share this!


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## fjerina

Can I put two sets of ATMOS add-on speakers in parallel from the same receiver speaker output? I have the Onkyo 646 receiver which has an active ATMOS speaker outputs (a left and right channel). I will have two sets of ATMOS add-on speakers: one set the Onkyo SKH-410 which are 4 ohm impedance and another set (arriving next month) the ELAC A4 which are 6 ohm impedance. So the left channel will have both an Onkyo and a ELAC speaker in parallel (place at difference locations) and the right channel will have the same. Is there any problem with this?


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## imagic

fjerina said:


> Can I put two sets of ATMOS add-on speakers in parallel from the same receiver speaker output? I have the Onkyo 646 receiver which has an active ATMOS speaker outputs (a left and right channel). I will have two sets of ATMOS add-on speakers: one set the Onkyo SKH-410 which are 4 ohm impedance and another set (arriving next month) the ELAC A4 which are 6 ohm impedance. So the left channel will have both an Onkyo and a ELAC speaker in parallel (place at difference locations) and the right channel will have the same. Is there any problem with this?


The Onkyo modules are also 6 ohms, not 4 ohms. Wiring in parallel, you'll wind up with a 3 ohm load, that could very well cause problems. You are better off wiring in series so you wind up with a 12 ohm load. Modules are supposed to stay within 3 feet of the associated ear-level channel.


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## fjerina

imagic said:


> The Onkyo modules are also 6 ohms, not 4 ohms. Wiring in parallel, you'll wind up with a 3 ohm load, that could very well cause problems. You are better off wiring in series so you wind up with a 12 ohm load. Modules are supposed to stay within 3 feet of the associated ear-level channel.


Thanks for the input. The Amazon site said they were 4 ohm but the Crutchfield site said 6 ohm. I think I rather believe Crutchfield over Amazon. Hopefully putting them in series will not hamper the auto calibration. I will still define each channel as a standalone speaker in my Onkyo setup.


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## imagic

fjerina said:


> Thanks for the input. The Amazon site said they were 4 ohm but the Crutchfield site said 6 ohm. I think I rather believe Crutchfield over Amazon. Hopefully putting them in series will not hamper the auto calibration. I will still define each channel as a standalone speaker in my Onkyo setup.


Most AVRs are fine with impedance up to 16 ohms, and down to 6 ohms. The 12 ohm load should be no problem at all. Wiring in series vs. parallel will not affect the auto-calibration at all, except for the levels adjustment. The real issue you will have with what you are doing is with setting the right distance/delay for those modules.


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