Ampex Console; Why 16 ohms?

[byoungman1]

I may be exposing my ignorance here, but...
I have (2) pairs of Ampex EL34 monoblock amplifiers and have always wondered why Ampex chose 16-ohm output on these, vs. the more common and logical 8-ohm output. :scratch2:

Are 16-ohm speakers somehow more efficient than comparable 8-ohm?
Was it because the only quality speaker components at the time were 16-ohm?

The amps sound fantastic with 8-ohm speakers, BTW...just curious if anyone has any insight into this.
Thanks!

 

[sheltie dave]

They probably chose 16 ohms because
a) the speakers they used in the consoles were 16 ohms, and
b) the speakers that were priced in the same quality range were commonly 16 ohms.

Keep in mind that Ampex consoles were among the most expensive back in the day.

 

[KentTeffeteller]

And in the days of vacuum tube amplifiers and cornerhorn speakers, 16 ohm impedance loads were most common. Made for less heat and better frequency response then. Indeed, Ampex consoles were top of the line short of custom installations and a severely expensive purchase then. Almost the cost of a bottom end automobile in the late 1950's from the Big 3.

 

[byoungman1]

Thanks for the input! Great info.
I'll post a pic of my amps shortly...