4 Ohm or 8 Ohm binding posts!?

[Bigmoonface]

I considering buying a tube amp which has 4 and 8 ohm binding posts. My floor-standing speakers I will be connecting to the amp are rated 6ohm! So would I connect the speakers to the 8ohm binding post!??

 

[whoaru99]

Try both connections then put them where it sounds better to you. No harm comes either way.

 

[WaynerN]

Your tube amp uses transformers in the output stage and the transformers need to be matched up as close as possible to the averaged impedance of your speakers. Since you are going to use 6 ohm speakers, I would connect them to the 4 ohm tap. Most speakers will have impedance levels that usually go much higher then their nominal, but seldom go below. 4 ohm is the safe number.

 

[bowtie427ss]

The short answer is, it depends.

https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/thre...e-of-using-8-ohm-tap-verses-4-ohm-tap.690934/

The long short answer based on consensus is, go with which sounds best.

What may be a caveat with choosing the best sounding tap is that it may create an impedance mismatch that prevents getting the rated power output from your amplifier, if that takes priority over what sounds best to you. Said impedance mismatch is NOT a threat to a transformer coupled amplifier.

 

[WaynerN]

Not a threat, but will muck up the bias, and then affect tube life.

 

[Bigmoonface]

Thanks for the replies and the link!