Speakers

[USSEnterprise]

Got a few questions about them, since I plan on building a good sound system into my MAME cabinet.
1. Is there any difference in a woofer and a subwoofer driver? I planned on sticking 2 tweeters, to mid ranges, and two woofers.

2. What is impedence all about? 4 ohm, 6 ohm, 8 ohm.

[SirPoonga]

2)
http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/TechBase/spkimp_SpeakerImpedanceMatching.html
http://www.colomar.com/Shavano/impedance_proc.php

[USSEnterprise]

Thanks. I think I understand impedence

[SirPoonga]

Also note you need to make sure your amp can handle the impedence.

For example, in the bass guitar world you really have to watch your impedence.  If your amp can't handle 2ohm you don't want to be connecting two 4 ohm speakers in parallel (creating 2ohm).  Whatever the minim ohm your amp can handle your speakers need to total or be higher than that.  Of coarse the higher you go the power to the speakers you get.

[lustreking]

Are you a bass player SirP?

-S

[SirPoonga]

Trying to be.  Picked up some equipment about 9 months ago.  Been teaching myself since.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v472/SirPoonga/bass/

[USSEnterprise]

I'm gonna be hooking the speakers to the amp through a crossover, then to an 18 year old Technics amp/reciever. I'm only gonna have two sets of speakers, one for right channel and one for left.

[SirPoonga]

Then you need to know the ohm limit for each channel.

Answer to number 1.  Subwoofer tend to only do the 15-200hz range.  The really low stuff.  Woofer has a broader range, like 50hz-5000hz.
Note that is a generalizations, there's always a few exceptsion.

[USSEnterprise]

thanks on that.
I'm looking through the amp manual. It says:

20Hz to 20,000Hz per channel
0.07% Total Harmonic Distortion
110 Watts per channel at 8 ohms

[SirPoonga]

I would htink 4ohm load would work, but would get like 60watts.  That 8ohm is not a lower limit, just mentioning 110watts at 8ohm.

Trying to remember if crossovers do something to the equations...   

[USSEnterprise]

I remember when my parents used this system before we got the surround system, there were always two, Large, 3 way floor speakers hooked up. I went down in the basement to check them and they were 200 watt, 8 ohm

[Level42]

Sorry about crashing in like this....but I am actualy planning on the following:
Got 2 B&W DM110i speakers, but one has a blown-up bass unit. Is there a way to connect one bass unit and mix the left and right signals for the bass frequencies only ?
Then I can use the tweeters to keep the stereo effect...

Want to connect them to an old JVC amp, plenty of room for it in my cabinet

Thx

[USSEnterprise]

Why not just get a foam ring kit for the other speaker? they are pretty cheap

[whammoed]

I would htink 4ohm load would work, but would get like 60watts.

[USSEnterprise]

so, would hooking up a 4 ohm woofer, a 8 ohm mid range, and a 4 ohm tweeter do damage

[Level42]

Why not just get a foam ring kit for the other speaker? they are pretty cheap

Actualy, the coil inside the bass unit is probably burned (thank you niece !!!    ) it's no the rubber or that's gone...

[SirPoonga]

I would htink 4ohm load would work, but would get like 60watts.  That 8ohm is not a lower limit, just mentioning 110watts at 8ohm.

Less watts for a lower load?  Is that correct?  I seem to remember always reading watt rating and it was always higher for a lower load...

You are right, I said it backwards.

[ShinAce]

Backwards indeed.

A pair of 8 ohm speakers in parallel is a 4 ohm load. Lower number loads are harder on the amp, they create more heat. In this case, it's a little more than double. TWICE THE HEAT!!!

You can use an impedance matching transformer, EXPENSIVE!!!

Or you can pick up some 10 watt 4 ohm resistors and use those as dummy speakers to get the load you want. That's how I would do it unless max volume is an absolute necessity.