HTIB speakers compatible with upgraded receiver?

[Bear28]

Hi,

So thanks to help of all my fellow blu ray members, I have an understanding of what receiver to look at to get HD sound.

What Im wondering is if I get either the Onkyo TXSR576B or Sony STRDG720, will my HTIB speakers be compatible with that receiver? Will they blow? I sometimes hear reverberation with my current setup, though Im not sure why.

I currently have the Onkyo HTS 3100.

Thanks

[leov36]

yes they will work, but you may want to consider upgrading your speakers(so you actually benefit form hd audio). you can do this slowly over time, if you need to.
if your bd player does the hd audio decoding(ex. ps3), the 720 will be ok, but im pretty sure it will not decode hd audio on its own.

[HiDefBlu]

Many of the older HTIB sets use 6 ohm speakers. Many of the newer HT Systems have settings for 6 ohm output impedence, but that is usually not the default.

[Bear28]

Originally Posted by HiDefBlu

Many of the older HTIB sets use 6 ohm speakers. Many of the newer HT Systems have settings for 6 ohm output impedence, but that is usually not the default.

Thanks for the reply, but I have to admit Im not 100% sure what that would mean.

What would I need to check to make sure the speakers would be ok with the new receiver?

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Bear28

Thanks for the reply, but I have to admit Im not 100% sure what that would mean.

What would I need to check to make sure the speakers would be ok with the new receiver?

Either the manual or the back of the speaker should list the impedence/ohm rating.

[Bear28]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Either the manual or the back of the speaker should list the impedence/ohm rating.

Ok so the specs say 6 ohms for the speakers....I need to compare that to the output of the new receiver, is that right?

The Sony receiver lists 8 ohms I believe.

The Onkyo gives a lot more info, 80W and 8 ohms/100W and 6 ohms, and speaker impedence between 6-16ohms.

All of that doesn't really make sense to me for what it would mean if I upgraded my receiver though.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Bear28

Ok so the specs say 6 ohms for the speakers....I need to compare that to the output of the new receiver, is that right?

The Sony receiver lists 8 ohms I believe.

The Onkyo gives a lot more info, 80W and 8 ohms/100W and 6 ohms, and speaker impedence between 6-16ohms.

All of that doesn't really make sense to me for what it would mean if I upgraded my receiver though.

It's ok, I still get confused on ohm ratings myself. I think with 6ohms you're fine with most receivers- definitely ok with the Onkyo.

[JasonR]

6-8 ohms speakers are fine on any receiver. The only time you might have to worry is when going 4 ohm or below.

[JasonR]

A decent read.

For most low to mid-grade electronics, and for most average speaker owners, a speaker impedance specification in the 6-8 Ohm range (the most common kind) represents a good compromise between current and voltage flow. That is to say, most amplifiers and receivers can safely drive speakers with 6-8 Ohm specs to enjoyable levels.

http://www.hometoys.com/htinews/feb0.../impedence.htm

[OkoPeeKee]

Originally Posted by leov36

yes they will work, but you may want to consider upgrading your speakers(so you actually benefit form hd audio). you can do this slowly over time, if you need to.

You will most likely not notice a difference in sound with lower end speakers. I do understand the process of one thing at a time.

[Jeterocks]

Just make sure you check to see exactly how many ohms your HTIB speakers are. I am in the same boat as you and just bought a Marantz SR5002 and wanted to use a hybrid of HTIB speakers and some new ones for my dorm room but it turns out my HTIB speakers are 3 ohm speakers and my reciever wants either 6-8 ohms.

Just make sure you check to see what kind of speakers your HTIB are and if they will not damage the reciever.

[Carlsberg19]

worst mistake i made was buying a HTIB for €800, when i could have used the money to get a MUCH better system

[Bear28]

Thanks for all the good advice!

Do you know if the Onkyo TX-SR506B would be able to receive DTSHD and DolbyHD if its decoded first on my PS3?

Thanks

[Squozen]

Originally Posted by Bear28

Thanks for all the good advice!

Do you know if the Onkyo TX-SR506B would be able to receive DTSHD and DolbyHD if its decoded first on my PS3?

Thanks

As long as a receiver can accept multichannel PCM via HDMI, it is fine.

[Jeterocks]

Just a question really that kinda goes with this. What happens to the reciever when you try to play say a 3 ohm speaker when it recomends 6-8 ohms?

Does the reciever break the speakers or does the speakers break the reciever?

[Bear28]

Originally Posted by Jeterocks

Just a question really that kinda goes with this. What happens to the reciever when you try to play say a 3 ohm speaker when it recomends 6-8 ohms?

Does the reciever break the speakers or does the speakers break the reciever?

From what I've read so far trying to understand all of this, I think that your speakers would be the first to go. They can't accept the amount of power coming to them, you'd have them up louder, etc. I think....

[HiDefBlu]

OK. So Ohms is a measure of impedence that the speaker places on the output of the amplifier section of the receiver. It is a function of resistance created by the magnet coil at a given frequency range. The lower the impedence, the less resistance there is to current flow.

Going from 8 ohms to 6, you would effictively have 25% more current flow (power) going to the speakers. This is indicated in an earlier example where the amplifier was rated at 80 watts at 8 ohms and 100 watts at 6 ohms.

So far this sounds good for going with lower impedence speakers, right?

The problem is that as you lower the impedence, you come closer and closer to a direct short. This is BAD!

So going to a 3 ohm speaker on an amplifier rated for 6-8 ohms would likely overload your amplifier and if it is not protected (either with a fuse or an electronic shut-off circuit) you could actually ruin your nice new piece of gear. (This would also void the warranty.)

Bottom line is to match the impedence of the speakers with the rating on your amp. (Also make sure the speakers are rated to handle to power your amp is putting out or you will blow them as well.)

If you're not sure what the ratings are, particularly on your speakers since you only have to read the manual for your new gear, it would be best to at least buy a new set of cheap speakers that are a known value. Incremental upgrades are a great way to minimize the "sticker-shock" effect of buying all-at-once. I am in the process of doing that myself. But a cheap set of new speakers is a small price to pay if it helps protect your investment in that $200-400 receiver that is sure to become the heart of your HT which is sure to become your pride and joy in the coming months.

Hope this all makes sense and helps.

HiDefBlu

[Bear28]

The Onkyo SR576 states:

North American:
75 watts minimum continuous power per channel, 8 ohm
loads, 2 channels driven from 20Hz to 20kHz, with a
maximum total harmonic distortion of 0.08% (FTC)
100 watts minimum continuous power per channel, 6 ohm
loads, 2 channels driven at 1kHz, with a maximum total
harmonic distortion of 0.1% (FTC)

Does that mean that depending on the speaker type you have, it will transmit different power loads?

Why are there 2 different power ratings?

Thanks

[Squozen]

A well-designed and constructed (ie, usually expensive) amplifier should theoretically be able to deliver twice as many clean watts into a 4-ohm load as they can into an 8-ohm load.

eg. 100W into 8-ohm = 200W into 4-ohm.

Now, you will find that pretty much nothing under $1000 will do that, at least not when you're talking about a 5.1 system. You will notice that the Onkyo specs are being even hazier when discussing the 6-ohm load, discussing power into only TWO of the five channels and at only a single frequency instead of from 20-20kHz.

This indicates that the output section of the Onkyo is most likely rubbish at dealing with low-impedance loads - expect a potentially thin and brittle sound if all of your speakers are 4- or 6-ohm. My guess would be that the power transformer for this particular amp is as small as Onkyo thought they could get away with to hit their price point.

[Bear28]

Originally Posted by Squozen

A well-designed and constructed (ie, usually expensive) amplifier should theoretically be able to deliver twice as many clean watts into a 4-ohm load as they can into an 8-ohm load.

eg. 100W into 8-ohm = 200W into 4-ohm.

Now, you will find that pretty much nothing under $1000 will do that, at least not when you're talking about a 5.1 system. You will notice that the Onkyo specs are being even hazier when discussing the 6-ohm load, discussing power into only TWO of the five channels and at only a single frequency instead of from 20-20kHz.

This indicates that the output section of the Onkyo is most likely rubbish at dealing with low-impedance loads - expect a potentially thin and brittle sound if all of your speakers are 4- or 6-ohm. My guess would be that the power transformer for this particular amp is as small as Onkyo thought they could get away with to hit their price point.

Thanks for the info...so are you saying then that if all my speakers are 6ohm (which they are) that this receiver is probably not good to get?