Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Forum => Topic started by: rackoon on September 23, 2005, 07:20:45 pm

Title: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: rackoon on September 23, 2005, 07:20:45 pm

OK here is the deal,
    I am building a three sided cocktail table and want to have a loud and proud sounding speaker set up. I want to go the way of a car amp and a couple of 6x9s.

    So I bought 2 6x9s at radio shack for $8 a piece. They are rated at 4 Ohms and 90 watts max. When I went to buy some grills at arcadeshope.com, I saw some Williams speakers at $9--- 8 OHMS and 15 watts. Did I mess up?

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: whammoed on September 23, 2005, 07:55:16 pm

No, car speakers are usually 4Ohm and home stereo is usually 8.  The lower the Ohms the more power they get from the amp (so long as the amp is rated for them)

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: rackoon on September 24, 2005, 12:32:48 pm

Thanks Whammoed, you are all wise.

I was going to use a cheap $25 amp and the speakers are car speakers. So I guess I'm fine.

By the way, I read somewhere that you were adding lighted buttons in the  Whammocade. Got any pics yet?

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: Ken Layton on September 24, 2005, 11:35:51 pm

Remember that electronics rule-of-thumb when it comes to speakers:

The lower the impedance of the speaker, the more the distortion.

The higher the impedance of the speaker the less the distortion and the better the quality of the sound.

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: whammoed on September 25, 2005, 10:39:01 am

Quote from: rackoon on September 24, 2005, 12:32:48 pm

Thanks Whammoed, you are all wise.

I was going to use a cheap $25 amp and the speakers are car speakers. So I guess I'm fine.

By the way, I read somewhere that you were adding lighted buttons in the

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: RayB on September 28, 2005, 09:25:26 pm

Most old game cabinets used 8 ohm speakers

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: MaximRecoil on November 04, 2005, 07:52:05 pm

Quote from: rackoon on September 23, 2005, 07:20:45 pm

OK here is the deal,

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: Lilwolf on November 05, 2005, 07:13:53 pm

stupid question... but could you put two 4ohm speakers in serial to make them the same as an 8ohm speaker?

Seems like you should (electronically).

Title: Re: What is an Ohm, is 8 better than 4
Post by: MaximRecoil on November 05, 2005, 07:34:02 pm

Quote from: Lilwolf on November 05, 2005, 07:13:53 pm

stupid question... but could you put two 4ohm speakers in serial to make them the same as an 8ohm speaker?

Seems like you should (electronically).

Yes you can. Or, you can wire two 8 ohm speakers in parallel to get a single 4 ohm load. Or you can wire four 4 ohm speakers in series/parallel to get a 4 ohm load, etc. People do stuff like that all of the time with multiple subwoofers/voice coils to arrive at a desired load for their particular amplifier.