Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Cheap 16ohm Amp/Reciever?

  1. #1
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    4

    Cheap 16ohm Amp/Reciever?

    I have some parts and pieces lying around my workshop -- left over from other projects. So….I thought I'd put together a system for the workshop. It's a 3500 square foot area, with concrete floors and hard walls and ceiling (20') -- so the acoustics won't be worth a hoot no matter what I build; but some sound is better than no sound.

    So here's the question: I'm putting together a pair of 511 horns with 806A drivers; and a pair of JBL2226J 15" woofers -- 16ohm stuff. I'll build the crossovers. Is there a reasonably priced (cheap) receiver out there that will drive a 16 ohm system without gagging and entering early menopause (hot flashes)? Thanks

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    128

    Cheap?

    What is your budget?

  3. #3
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    4
    Whatever it takes. I bought an inexpensive (under a hundred bucks at Circuit City) Sherwood receiver a while back dedicated to some outdoor sounds. Don't think it would hack the 16 ohm system. Because of the location of the system, I can't justify an elaborate amp. I do have a couple of pretty decent Crown amps and a nice Denon, but they're in locations where the higher dollar stuff can be appreciated.

    So I'll ask the question again: Is there an inexpensive receiver/amp that can comfortably handle the 16 ohm load described above? Thanks.

  4. #4
    Senior Member MikeBrewster77's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Wilmington, DE
    Posts
    746
    And so we'll ask the question again: How do you define "inexpensive"?

    "Whatever it takes" is inherently incongruent with "inexpensive." In the audio world, that could easily mean $10K+ or a couple of hundred dollars. In short, inexpensive is a relative term, so the original question of what is your budget is going to provide the benchmark of what we can recommend.

    Best,
    - Mike

    Quote Originally Posted by SRT View Post
    So I'll ask the question again: Is there an inexpensive receiver/amp that can comfortably handle the 16 ohm load described above? Thanks.

  5. #5
    Senior Member louped garouv's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    formerly "the city where imagination takes precedence over fact"
    Posts
    2,152
    isn't a 16 Ohm load easier to drive than a lower impedance load, typically?

    or is that directly related to the topology of the amp in question?

    i would think, offhand (and proably incorrectly ), that an amp that could run a 8 or 4 ohm load easily wouldn't have any issues with a 16 Ohm load...

    as far as cheap amplifiers to run a 16 ohm load, my 'cheapest' deals have come from salvaging old tube amps from consoles on the side of the road after local garage sales...


  6. #6
    Senior Member jcrobso's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Chicago
    Posts
    1,099

    There should not be a problem

    Quote Originally Posted by SRT View Post
    Whatever it takes. I bought an inexpensive (under a hundred bucks at Circuit City) Sherwood receiver a while back dedicated to some outdoor sounds. Don't think it would hack the 16 ohm system. Because of the location of the system, I can't justify an elaborate amp. I do have a couple of pretty decent Crown amps and a nice Denon, but they're in locations where the higher dollar stuff can be appreciated.

    So I'll ask the question again: Is there an inexpensive receiver/amp that can comfortably handle the 16 ohm load described above? Thanks.
    Solid state amps don't like shorts or very low impedance loads under 2 Ohms. That $99 Sherwood receiver has an output of 100w into an 8 ohm load. With a 16 ohm load that max power will be about 50w, with the speakers your using it will still get very loud! John

  7. #7
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Atlanta
    Posts
    4
    Thanks jcrobso & louped garouv -- that's the answer.

    Guess I asked the wrong question -- I should have asked if it was OK to power a 16 ohm load with a modern (cheap) amp that's designed for 8 ohm speakers. Obviously, I'm no electronic wizard -- and I didn't want to do anything dumb and smoke something.

    I've got an old unused Sansui (5000) receiver that I'll try when I get the crossovers built. These things are pretty efficient, and the acoustics in my barn are so bad -- it shouldn't take much power to get the job done. Thanks.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Audiobeer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Location
    St. Peters, Mo just west of St. Louis.
    Posts
    2,407
    It should do just fine!

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •