Speakers for Yamaha AX 497

[mrakky]

I got an amplifier from the title (Yamaha AX-497) and I have B&W DM302, here are the specifications of the speakers, I wouldn't want to burn them out because they are very dear to me, they sound nice, and as far as I can see, Yamaha AX-497 is 85W at 8 ohms, so I assume there shouldn't be any problems, but I'd rather ask?
Technical Data

• Type: 2-way bass reflex, shelf speaker
• Chassis:
  • Woofer: 1x 125 mm

Tweeter: 1x 26 mm (dome) Power handling (nominal/music):

• Recommended amplifier power: 25 -100 W
• Efficiency: 91 dB (2.83 V, 1 m)
• Frequency response: 72 - 20,000 Hz (±3 dB)
• Crossover frequency: 3,000 Hz
• Impedance: 8 ohms (minimum 3.2 ohms)

Thank you!!!

 

[LTig]

Should be fine. According to the german hifi-wiki the amp can deliver 120 W at 4 Ohm and 250 W peak at 2 Ohm, so it can drive your speakers without problems.

You may check your user's manual if the specs are indeed as I wrote above.

 

[mhardy6647]

The 3.2 ohm minimum for the OP's loudspeakers is - from my perspective - rather low. Depending on the impedance and phase curves for that particular model, the Yamaha might be less than enthralled by having to drive them. Probably no likelihood of damaging the loudspeakers, but the amp may shut down (or worse) if too much is asked of it.

Took a look at hifiengine...

source: https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/yamaha/ax-497.shtml
The inclusion of the "impedance selector" does give one pause.

Here's what the worldwide model(s) manual (same source as above) has to say for the AX-397/497 (FWIW):

Looks like a nice amplifier in general, though.
I've never encountered one (FWIW).

 

[mhardy6647]

Is this it?

B&W DM302 loudspeaker Measurements | Stereophile.com

Sidebar 4: Measurements The DM302's specified sensitivity, 91dB/W/m, is high for a small speaker, but indeed I measured a B-weighted figure of 90.1dB/W/m—this mini will play quite loud with only a few amplifier watts. However, its impedance plot (fig.1) reveals that it drops below 4 ohms for...

www.stereophile.com

said Wes Phillips of this model...

The DM302's specified sensitivity, 91dB/W/m, is high for a small speaker, but indeed I measured a B-weighted figure of 90.1dB/W/m—this mini will play quite loud with only a few amplifier watts. However, its impedance plot (fig.1) reveals that it drops below 4 ohms for much of the midrange, coupled with a moderately high phase angle in the upper bass. Wimpy amplifiers need not apply for the job of driving this speaker. The "saddle" in the magnitude trace at 55Hz indicates the tuning of the reflex slot.

Doesn't look like an "8 ohm" load to me, either (FWIW).

 

[mrakky]

The 3.2 ohm minimum for the OP's loudspeakers is - from my perspective - rather low. Depending on the impedance and phase curves for that particular model, the Yamaha might be less than enthralled by having to drive them. Probably no likelihood of damaging the loudspeakers, but the amp may shut down (or worse) if too much is asked of it.

Took a look at hifiengine...
View attachment 464492


source: https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/yamaha/ax-497.shtml
The inclusion of the "impedance selector" does give one pause.

Here's what the worldwide model(s) manual (same source as above) has to say for the AX-397/497 (FWIW):
View attachment 464493


Looks like a nice amplifier in general, though.
I've never encountered one (FWIW).

I have set mine up like this, is it set up correctly?
It's a bit confusing at least for me, I hope I set it up correctly, I don't have any speakers connected on side B.
But let's say I have two pairs of speakers on sides A and B and both pairs are 8 ohms, is it the same on the corresponding side of the switch?

 

[AnalogSteph]

Since the DM302 ought to be considered a 4 ohm speaker, the slider should be set to the 4 ohm position instead.

 

[mrakky]

Since the DM302 ought to be considered a 4 ohm speaker, the slider should be set to the 4 ohm position instead.

tnx for answer, but i change this yamaha ax 497 for yamaha ax-300, its oldies amp, but in my room this 30w sound bether that 85w

 

[DVDdoug]

but in my room this 30w sound better that 85w

It's not because of the lower wattage... Unless you are pushing the 30W amp into clipping/distortion and you happen like the sound of the distortion...

Generally, amplifiers don't have "sound" (ignoring tone controls, etc.) unless you are hearing background noise or if you over-drive it into distortion. Of course there are exceptions like defective of badly made amplifiers but it's just not that hard to make a good amplifier, depending on how much power you need.

And when you say "sounds better", when it comes to electronics there are ONLY 3 characteristics of sound quality - Noise, distortion, and frequency response. Frequency response is usually flat across the audio range (again ignoring tone control adjustments). Sometimes there is audible noise, but that also depends on how close you are to the speaker and the sensitivity of the speaker, etc. Distortion is usually below audibility unless the amp is overdriven.

Audiophoolery discusses the REAL characteristics of audio quality and it can help you to ignore of the nonsense you might read.

I wouldn't want to burn them out

Speaker power ratings are "complicated" but a 100W speaker is supposed to be safe with a 100W amplifier that's hitting 100W on the program peaks.

If you turn it up into clipping/distortion, the peaks are limited to 100W but the average power goes up and you can burn-out the speaker. You can burn-up the speaker with a lower-power amplifier over-driven into distortion too because again, the average power (which heats-up the voice coils) can be "higher than expected".

There is a popular myth that an over-driven lower-power amplifier is worse, but it's not true and you can burn-up the speaker either way. The lower power amp is probably safer because you'll turn it down when it distorts and sounds bad.

Continuous high-power test-tones can burn-out a speaker (because the average is the same as the peak), and high-frequency test-tones are worse because the tweeter can't take as much power as the woofer.

Usually in the real world, speakers get blown when a drunk person or teenager is in-charge of the volume control. Or maybe if you are "testing" to see how loud your setup will go.