Thread: Audio Speaker Devolution

G'Day Audio Experts,

Before handing the Series III over to me my children installed an all-singing, all-dancing U-beaut Stereo AM/FM radio with various gew-gaws, and lots of flashing lights. It also has a removable front panel. Apart from looking out of place, a couple of trips up north over roads resembling Custom Orb soon shook it to bits so that now it only works intermittently. (I suspect the front panel contacts couldn't stand the hammering).
I'd like to replace it with a much more robust old push-button radio salvaged from an old Honda. The labels on this state it needs a 4-ohm speaker. Dunno the impedance of the two x two-way speakers presently installed, but the old radio is mono only, so I'm not sure how to wire things up.
If the existing speakers are 8-ohm, can I wire them in parallel and thereby get 4-ohm impedance?
If the existing speakers are 4-ohm, can I use them at all? Or only one of them?
Dunno the impedance of the existing speaker systems yet, am hoping to find out when I take them down and open them up. There appears to be no information on the outside.
I've included a picture of the speakers.
Regards

Coop
LandyDetails2.jpg

Originally Posted by Bradtot

Use them in series but make sure u go pos/neg when joining the 2 or they will be out of phase and will cut your bass down. As one speaker cone moves out the the other moves in therefore cancelling out each other with a result of a tinny sound if you have them out of phase..
You can always go up in impedance but never below what the radio requires.
ie if you go paralell with 2 4ohms it will give you 2 ohms at the radio. the radio says 4 ohms min so you run the risk of blowing up the output stage in the radio.
if your speakers are 8 ohms and you wire in pararlel that will give you 4 ohms at the radio which is ok
Brad

Thanks Brad, I decided to go with a single 4-ohm speaker which may have been the original for the old radio. It's not a stereo radio, so two speakers not necessary, and the places we will be listening will be largely out of range of FM stereo anyway. And we mostly listen to Radio National (ABC) so all in all, the one speaker will do the job. It only has to work when we are stationary, as the old Series III is too noisy for radio when travelling on the highway.
(In fact, so noisy, we are fitting it with an intercom for in-cockpi... er... in cabin conversation when on the highway).
Thanks for the info and advice.

Regards

Coop