Cheap 16ohm Amp/Reciever?

[SRT]

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

[JBLOG]

What is your budget?

[SRT]

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.

[MikeBrewster77]

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



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

[louped garouv]

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 :banghead: ), 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...

:)

[jcrobso]

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

[SRT]

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.

[Audiobeer]

It should do just fine! :D