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  1. #1
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    Can an 8-ohm amp drive a 4-ohm speaker?

    The specs of my NAD C340 Integrated says it can give 50 watts continuous into 8 ohms.

    I plan on upgrading my speakers to a pair of Dynaudios which have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.

    I will eventually upgrade my amp, but for the meanwhile, will it be able to drive these speakers in a fairly small room? Will I run the risk of frying my amp? Thanks.

  2. #2
    Suspended markw's Avatar
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    Read your specs more carefully. It has ratings for 4 ohms as well as 8 ohms. It can easily drive a pair of 4 ohm speakers... indefinitely.

  3. #3
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    markw

    Thanks for the reply,

    The specs I got from the internet only specified the 50 watts into 8 ohms. Only until I began reading on another site about the NAD's use of its ISC technology did I discover that it could drive 50 watts into 4 ohms as well.

    Another question, will my amp get hotter as a result? It is currently in an unfavorable location on my equipment rack. Thanks.

  4. #4
    Silence of the spam Site Moderator Geoffcin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prefuse
    The specs of my NAD C340 Integrated says it can give 50 watts continuous into 8 ohms.

    I plan on upgrading my speakers to a pair of Dynaudios which have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms.

    I will eventually upgrade my amp, but for the meanwhile, will it be able to drive these speakers in a fairly small room? Will I run the risk of frying my amp? Thanks.
    Absolutely, you'll be able to drive them. NAD amps are very good for having a lot of headroom, and I'm sure they put protection circuts in them so I wouldn't worry too much. The problem arises when you try to play them loud, and you drain you amps current dry.

    Your going to want a new amp eventually. The danes can take a lot of current. I auditioned a pair once (the big Contours) that was hooked up to a 500 wpc amp, and they sounded quite remarkable. I liked them better than the B&W speakers that were priced in the same range.
    Audio;
    Ming Da MC34-AB 75wpc
    PS Audio Classic 250. 500wpc into 4 ohms.
    PS Audio 4.5 preamp,
    Marantz 6170 TT Shure M97e cart.
    Arcam Alpha 9 CD.- 24 bit dCS Ring DAC.
    Magnepan 3.6r speakers Oak/black,

  5. #5
    Kursun
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    Quote Originally Posted by Prefuse
    Thanks for the reply,

    The specs I got from the internet only specified the 50 watts into 8 ohms. Only until I began reading on another site about the NAD's use of its ISC technology did I discover that it could drive 50 watts into 4 ohms as well.

    Another question, will my amp get hotter as a result? It is currently in an unfavorable location on my equipment rack. Thanks.
    It will surely run hotter. For producing the same amount of power (W) into 4 ohms instead of 8 ohms, the amplifier will be required to handle about %40 more current (amperes). You have to try and see if the temperature rises to uncomfortable levels when driving 4 ohm loads.

    BTW your NAD should produce somewhat more Watts into 4 ohms. In fact amplifiers with perfect power supplies (and output stages) double their power with each halving of load impedance.

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