Question Using old speakers in new receiver

[Shernovil]

Hi, I have an old Samsung HT-XQ100 home theater system but the receiver is not working properly lately and I want to buy a new receiver to use the speakers I already have but I'm not sure if that's possible.

I don't know to much about audio systems, my biggest concern is the Samsung speakers specs says 80 Watt - 3 Ohm and the specs of all the modern receivers that I saw are for 6 Ohm or more.

I like those speakers and I don't want to throw the whole thing just because the receiver have some problems, so there's a way to use those old speakers with a modern receiver? And is even worth it?

Thanks.

 

[noiseboy72]

You can buy 4 ohm resistors - 5W are fine, which you wire in series with the old spekaers. This increases the impedance the AV amp sees, so it will drive them without damage. It will make them quieter, but I don't think this will be a big issue, as the 80W will be a peak / max figure and most stand alone AV amps are 70W RMS or more.

 

[Shernovil]

Hi, sorry I don't understand how to use the resistors to change the impedance of the speakers, where they need to be wired?

 

[dante01]

Hi, sorry I don't understand how to use the resistors to change the impedance of the speakers, where they need to be wired?

They'd be employed between the receiver and the speakers. You'd wire them to the associated speaker terminals and then wire the speakers to the resistors.

 

[noiseboy72]

Hopefully this diagram shamelessly stolen from the interweb helps.

You can use a 2 ohm or 4 ohm resistor, depending upon whether you need a 4 ohm or 8 ohm load for the amplifier. Most modern amps are fine with 4 ohms, so a 2 ohm resistor will be fine.

Here's just 1 source: 5x Horizontal Wirewound Cement Resistor Ceramic 5W | eBay

 

[Shernovil]

Ok I got it, thanks.