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Trying different output impedance taps with tube amps

My Antique Sound Lab Tulip 2A3 SET amp has 4, 8 and 16 ohm taps. I had been running the 8 ohm taps, and had a friend over to listen. He suggested the 4 ohm taps might be a better match for my speakers (Audio Note AN-Es). He was right, and it made a really nice improvement.

If you have multiple taps on your amp(s) and have never tried the other ones, or haven't for a while, it's worth a shot. Even if you are using the recommended or “right” ones for your speakers, you might be surprised.
tommylion
10 responses Add your response
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,247 posts
 
I had the same experience.  In my case I was running a McIntosh solid state amp with the auto transformers.  I was using the 8 ohm taps for my GE Triton Reference speakers.  On a whim I tried the 4 ohm taps, and Holy smokes, what a huge diffference for the
jond's avatar
jond
5,654 posts
 
Absolutely agreed you never know which tap will work best until you try them all. Nominal impedance is truly nominal and real world conditions are varied. Happy listening!
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
Kevin Hayes, of VAC fame, always recommends trying all output tap configurations just for this reason.
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,393 posts
 

As Ralph Karsten (Atma-Sphere) and Roger Modjeski (Music Reference) will tell you, the lower the impedance tap on a tube amp, the lower the output impedance (higher damping factor) and distortion, generally speaking. Unfortunately, that comes with less power, except in the case of the unique Music Reference RM-200, which produces more power at lower impedances.

Modjeski recommends using the lowest impedance tap possible that provides the power required, as the lower impedance taps drive the output the tubes the least/softest (they will therefore last longer), and with the least distortion. Plus the lower output impedance is really a significant benefit, allowing the amp to produce the flattest frequency response it is capable of.

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,219 posts
 
I'm in agreement with those who advocate trying all the available amplifier taps and listen.  Each circumstance will be different and it's difficult to generalize if higher or lower tap is superior.   My amplifier has 8 and 16 ohm taps and my speakers are 14 ohm nominal.  I've tried both taps and  the 16 ohm tap offers cleanly the  better sound quality. 
Charles 
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,219 posts
 
bdp24,
I believe that Ralph has pointed out in the past that using the higher ohm tap results in less distortion, increased bandwidth and better efficiency.  
Roger Modjeski is definitely  a proponent of the "light loading" approach. Honestly it depends on the particular amplifier and speaker involved. My SET amplifier has no NFB  and this probably explains the better sound quality with the higher 16 ohm tap.
Charles 
noromance's avatar
noromance
9,379 posts
 
My Quad ESLs (1957) need 16R taps on my tube amps with 8 and 4 ohms sounding progressively duller and colored. The difference is night and day. I guess it limits them to amps with 16 ohm taps.
commish1965
20 posts
 
My zu druid V speakers sound much better with the 8ohm taps on my prima luna HP.  It's not even close.
jandewitt
25 posts
 
I only have a 16 ohm tap on my old OTL tube amp and I am using a 16 ohm broadband loudspeakers from Ocellia. So I can’t compare, but I can say is that this works very, very well.
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,556 posts
 
I believe that Ralph has pointed out in the past that using the higher ohm tap results in less distortion, increased bandwidth and better efficiency.  
@charles1dad  Actually what I've said is that all amplifiers (tube or solid state) make less distortion into higher impedances; in the case of tube amps you also get wider bandwidth and greater efficiency.

Another way of putting this is if high quality audio reproduction is your goal, your amplifier dollar investment is best served by a loudspeaker of higher impedance- 8 ohms as opposed to 4 and 16 ohms as opposed to 8.
An additional benefit of 16 ohm loudspeakers is the speaker cable is far less critical for proper system sound whereas at 4 ohms its critical!
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