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Duntech PCL-3 on-wall will xover at 80hz make easier to drive

If you crossover a "hard to drive" speaker, does it really make that much easier to drive if your amp is underpowered?

I picked up a sweet pair of Duntech PCL-3 on-wall speakers. They’re probably 30 years old but sound so dang good! However, I’m going to put them in the bedroom where I only watch tv on 2 channel with a little Marantz receiver at 50 wpm. These are pretty hard to push and 50wpc just isn’t enough.. But, if I add a sub and crossover the speakers at 80hz, how much does that ease the amp strain?

Keep in mind - this is not intended to be an audiophile setup.. The little marantz is perfect because it’s small and has HDMI ARC which is a must have for my tv watching.

Thoughts?
dtximages
imhififan's avatar
imhififan
2,259 posts
 
if I add a sub and crossover the speakers at 80hz, how much does that ease the amp strain?
Yes, it definitely helps, in your case, simply set the front speakers to "small" on your Marantz NR1510.

fiesta75
1,547 posts
 
Don't worry about a DMM, I just wondered if you could measure the impedance of the Duntech PLC-3's.
I believe imhififan has the correct solution; Set speakers to small and add a subwoofer. +1 imhififan. 
dtximages OP
377 posts
 

Bringing this back up.. I'm no electrician but I do have a multimeter. What kind of impedence should I expect to see? 8 ohms? Do i connect my multimeter to the speaker terminals?

I have 3 sets of these and they all have different stories.. I HIGHLY suspect some of the crossover components don't operate like new anymore and probably differ greatly in each speaker. Should I put my multimeter ends on the cap and test that?  If so, what is a "good" number? 

fiesta75
1,547 posts
 

You should see about 2.9 to 3.3 ohms DC with nothing connected to the drivers. You'll need to remove the wires from the amp to the driver.  Again, don't mess with the crossover. If you feel they are lacking in power after adding subwoofers, you could replace the amplifiers with 100 to 200 watt amplifiers.  The bigger amplifiers will need to replace the existing amps and be external. Post more info if you have specific questions.

fiesta75
1,547 posts
 

Are all of the speakers in one room or different rooms?

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