Mixing 6 & 8 ohms speakers

[sunilyo]

I have the Marantz SR-4600 (AVR) / Sonodyne Sonus 2605 (fronts - 8ohms) / Rave acoustics (Center - 8 ohms)

I am planning to get the wharfedales 9 DFS Bipolars for surround, which has an impedance rating of 6 ohms.

Can I make a setup with such a setup? i.e. mixing 8 and 6 ohms speakers. Will It harm my amp in any way.

I have read in some other forums about this but am getting mixed views - some say it will work and others say that it will damage the amp.

On the Marantz under the speaker terminals it is showing 6 - 8 ohms so does it mean i can use the wharfe's as surrounds?

 

[ShaQ.Blogs]

it depends on the impedance & phase response graph of all the speakers. I think you should be fine unless the speakers have really horrendous impedance-phase points.
Another way you can know is by using your ears if you have a sharp ear to know the distinction between distorted sound and clean unclipped music. U can connect all and slowly increasing the volume and if the sound starts to get *distorted* (usually at higher volumes), then you know that beyond that volume the amp dosent play well. But beware, some cd's will play louder at the same volume than some other cd's as they are recorded at different levels. If you cant make the difference between distortion & pure unclipped music then it will be difficult, hence u need to analyze the speakers and the amp's capacity to handle power.
Usually surrounds dont tax the amp much as it's role in playing is very low. But since this is an entry level receiver, this dosent have enough head room. But again I think u shd be fine for movies.

 

[sunilyo]

Thanks ShaQ.Blogs for your points.