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4 ohm (or 6) Bookshelf speakers. Pass Labs 30.8

Hi everyone!

I am having a hard time finding book shelf speakers that run in 4 ohm (or 6 maybe?).  Before I seriously consider the Pass Labs 30.8, I need to at least know what kind of speakers to listen to, price them out, etc.  I am just now building a system and have no speakers, but I see it looks like the 30.8 is ideal for not that many speakers (from what I can see).  Google didn't help much. I live in an apartment, and the room I have isn't ideal for floor speakers, and is perfect for a lower watt amp, I'd rather pay for quality over power I won't use!.  Bass from floor speakers could also be an issue so I'd rather not even entertain that idea.   If 4 ohm and small speaker don't really go together, I will consider the 150.8 instead.  

Many have said "Any 4 ohm speaker", but being able to find a 4ohm book shelf has left me with not much, so far. 

If this isn't really in the cards (small speakers and 4ohm), feel free to be blunt.  Save me time.  :)

So here is what I have found so far.  Any others?  

1.  Harberth Super HL

Thanks everyone in advance.
128x128mplstereo
jackd
1,037 posts
 
Stereophile measured the 30,5 at 130 at 8 ohms and 195 wpc at 4 ohms and the .8 should be the same or similar so no lack of power reserves. The listed specs are for Class A only at .01 THD
akg_ca's avatar
akg_ca
2,150 posts
 
REGA RX1 are 6 ohm bookshelf models

http://www.rega.co.uk/rx1-loudspeakers.html
yogiboy's avatar
yogiboy
5,464 posts
 
The Aerial 5t is a 4 ohm speaker. BTW, why do you feel that you need a 4 ohm speaker? The impedance changes with most speakers!
https://aerialacoustics.com/5t/
mplstereo's avatar
mplstereo OP
29 posts
 
Thanks everyone!  

Wow, this amp was underrated that much?  

Yogiboy - I read in forums from individuals (who may have been uneducated or misinformed) that to get some volume/power get a 4 ohm speaker, that this would bring the output to 60w/ch.  To be honest, researching this amp has been really confusing. I don't know much about ohm's at all.  And now I'm understanding that the amp really makes 100w/ch at 8 ohms fully class A.  SMH, guys like me can't read between the lines with this high tech stuff!

Jackd - Yes, I read that too!  But I just didn't understand it.  I mean, the underrating is so much, that i almost didn't consider it because I was feeling it wouldn't work well with many speakers.   Their power specs are frustratingly misleading and seems weird.  So it stays class A all the way to 100w/ch?  That's plenty for me, but what gives?  Why such the variance?  

So I think the question I need to be asking, just so I am clear, is: are there types of speakers I need to avoid?  (This whole underrated concept and 4 ohm preference talk is making this confusing!  ha)

Also, to be clear, in 4/8 ohm, it stays class A  to 100w/ch?

What about efficiency?  I read that it prefers speakers above 85 for sensitivity?  

It sounds like I should have no issue driving any book shelf speaker, at all, or floor for that matter.  

Any catches, things I might not be seeing?  

Thanks again everyone!








jackd
1,037 posts
 
It stays in class A at it's published rating.  Somewhere above those ratings it goes into A/B and continues to 130 and 195 wpc at 1% distortion.  Best thing you can do short of actually testing the amp with speakers is to read all the reviews of the 30.5 and 30.8 and see what speakers that used with them.  Unless your listening room is cavernous and you intend on playing to concert levels then the 30.8 will push most any bookshelf speaker you find to "reasonable" levels.  
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