16 Ohm Speakers

[lausar]

Kinda new to chip gainclone amps. I'm looking for a backup amp to my SET 2A3 amp and I'm thinking about going chip amp route. Will I have any problems with these amps with my 16 ohm Altecs?

[sreten]

Hi,

No. In fact its good as I rate chips only good into 8R loads
as ideally really more suitable for 16 ohm reactive loads.

Go on the small side for the recommended 8 ohm PSU VA size.

Expect a little over half power of the chip amp rating into 8R.
(not that the chip amp can provide said power into 8 ohm reactive).

rgds, sreten.

[BTW]

Hi Sreten,

Why do you recommend a smaller VA trans.. I'm thinking since the power rating will drop compared with a 8R load.. should a higher VA be a better way to go...

Thanks

Originally Posted by sreten

Hi,

Go on the small side for the recommended 8 ohm PSU VA size.

rgds, sreten.

[sreten]

Originally Posted by BTW

Hi Sreten,

Why do you recommend a smaller VA trans.. I'm thinking since the power rating will drop compared with a 8R load.. should a higher VA be a better way to go...

Thanks

Hi,

Higher VA is needed for lower impedance loads. For higher you need less VA.

rgds, sreten.

[BTW]

Ok, thanks for the feedback very helpful... I'm building a GC soon..

Originally Posted by sreten

Hi,

Higher VA is needed for lower impedance loads. For higher you need less VA.

rgds, sreten.

[radiosmuck]

Originally Posted by sreten

Hi,

No. In fact its good as I rate chips only good into 8R loads
as ideally really more suitable for 16 ohm reactive loads.

Go on the small side for the recommended 8 ohm PSU VA size.

Expect a little over half power of the chip amp rating into 8R.
(not that the chip amp can provide said power into 8 ohm reactive).

rgds, sreten.

For the last several months I have been driving my huge vintage 15 Ohm Tannoy Yorks with a very inexpensive little T2020 amp and they work amazingly together. In fact I have relegated my old McIntosh SS amp into storage.
I purchased the T2020 originally to drive a pair of Realistic Minimus speakers and just out of curiosity hooked up my old Tannoys, not expecting much. Well, I was amazed.
The previous week I got a good offer on the Tannoys and almost sold them....but not quite yet!

[Arty]

Originally Posted by BTW

Hi Sreten,

Why do you recommend a smaller VA trans.. I'm thinking since the power rating will drop compared with a 8R load.. should a higher VA be a better way to go...

Thanks

It is just an option to use a smaller VA transformator.
I would not do that.
It will not hurt

allso, what if you later would like to drive 8 ohm spekaers with the amp, but got a low VA traffo? yup, ain't gona work well.
So just go with the bigger traffo.

[BTW]

Thanks for the advice.. Good point about having to drive an 8 ohm spk maybe ..later on..

Originally Posted by Arty

It is just an option to use a smaller VA transformator.
I would not do that.
It will not hurt

allso, what if you later would like to drive 8 ohm spekaers with the amp, but got a low VA traffo? yup, ain't gona work well.
So just go with the bigger traffo.

[sreten]

Hi,

If an adequate 8 ohms transformer is 100VA, some will say you
should go for 160VA or even 200VA. Not a lot of point here, as
the 100VA will perform like the 200VA with 16 ohm speakers.

I wan't suggesting undersizing, just don't oversize.

rgds, sreten.

[Arty]

dunno..
when it comes to traffo, a bigger one never hurt .
actualy i can't recall any drawbacks of having a larger then needed traffo..
(technical wise. not money spendt)