10 ohm speakers
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 30
Likes: 4
10 ohm speakers
So my 72 now has an original AM FM Mono radio in it, which as a base coupe, is how I believe it came with from the factory.
It had two 10 ohm speakers in which were blown ... Not a big suprise, and thanks to the good people here I didn't just install some new 4 ohm speakers. I talked with an audio tech and he recommended running the output to a small 2 channel amp so the speakers would run off that amp and wouldn't kill the radio, and it seems to be working.
BUT ... It's not "right"
Are there 10 ohm speakers available, I didn't find any but didn't do an extensive search. Does anyone restore 10 ohm speakers, or (it may sound dumb, but I don't know) is there a way to add OHM's to modern speakers so they won't damage my radio?
Advise appreciated!
It had two 10 ohm speakers in which were blown ... Not a big suprise, and thanks to the good people here I didn't just install some new 4 ohm speakers. I talked with an audio tech and he recommended running the output to a small 2 channel amp so the speakers would run off that amp and wouldn't kill the radio, and it seems to be working.
BUT ... It's not "right"
Are there 10 ohm speakers available, I didn't find any but didn't do an extensive search. Does anyone restore 10 ohm speakers, or (it may sound dumb, but I don't know) is there a way to add OHM's to modern speakers so they won't damage my radio?
Advise appreciated!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,875
Likes: 3,554
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
yes-
These guys have them-
http://www.turnswitch.com/speakers.htm
Left is original- right is reproduction-
These guys have them-
http://www.turnswitch.com/speakers.htm
Left is original- right is reproduction-
Instructor
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 196
Likes: 16
From: Rancho Santa Margarita CA
yes-
These guys have them-
http://www.turnswitch.com/speakers.htm
Left is original- right is reproduction-
These guys have them-
http://www.turnswitch.com/speakers.htm
Left is original- right is reproduction-
Last edited by JayRay; May 31, 2017 at 11:23 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
So my 72 now has an original AM FM Mono radio in it, which as a base coupe, is how I believe it came with from the factory.
It had two 10 ohm speakers in which were blown ... Not a big suprise, and thanks to the good people here I didn't just install some new 4 ohm speakers. I talked with an audio tech and he recommended running the output to a small 2 channel amp so the speakers would run off that amp and wouldn't kill the radio, and it seems to be working.
BUT ... It's not "right"
Are there 10 ohm speakers available, I didn't find any but didn't do an extensive search. Does anyone restore 10 ohm speakers, or (it may sound dumb, but I don't know) is there a way to add OHM's to modern speakers so they won't damage my radio?
Advise appreciated!
It had two 10 ohm speakers in which were blown ... Not a big suprise, and thanks to the good people here I didn't just install some new 4 ohm speakers. I talked with an audio tech and he recommended running the output to a small 2 channel amp so the speakers would run off that amp and wouldn't kill the radio, and it seems to be working.
BUT ... It's not "right"
Are there 10 ohm speakers available, I didn't find any but didn't do an extensive search. Does anyone restore 10 ohm speakers, or (it may sound dumb, but I don't know) is there a way to add OHM's to modern speakers so they won't damage my radio?
Advise appreciated!
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,875
Likes: 3,554
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
I have a friend that has designed speakers (Transducers) for 35 years. He said there are no 10 ohm speakers. They are 8 ohm. GM called them 10 ohm so that you would go to the dealer. They still do this BS. My 03 truck has them labeled as such. Install 8 ohm speakers, and they will work just fine.
The impedance of a loudspeaker is not constant across all frequencies- an 8Ω speaker will work fine.
The go to the dealer BS- Yes, GM made their factory radios different so a standard one would not fit w/o modification... Just like the radio in your 03 truck- If you want to put an aftermarket radio in the dash- you'd have to buy a faceplate kit- and the radio would still stick out of the dash....
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 11,009
Likes: 166
From: Milford Michigan
Be aware - 8 ohm is for like a home stereo receiver. I was looking up all the car audio speakers from a good source of speaker & speaker components I buy from, & all the car speakers are 4 ohm. An early 2000's Chrysler 300M I used to own used 2 ohm speakers. The higher the ohm rating, the more HP it takes to drive them from my understanding.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
2027 Corvette vs The World: Every C8 vs Its Closest Competitor
Joe Kucinski
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 30
Likes: 4
Be aware - 8 ohm is for like a home stereo receiver. I was looking up all the car audio speakers from a good source of speaker & speaker components I buy from, & all the car speakers are 4 ohm. An early 2000's Chrysler 300M I used to own used 2 ohm speakers. The higher the ohm rating, the more HP it takes to drive them from my understanding.
I was talking to a kid at Autozone when I first started looking for speakers, he was telling me the lower the OHM's the better bass I could expect ... He started telling me something about bridging speakers and getting down to ZERO OHM's ... Just the opposite of what was asking for ... But he sounded like he knew what he was talking about ...
... and it would have been good information if I wanted to vibrate down the street
Last edited by 72 Corvette newbie; Jun 1, 2017 at 06:51 PM.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Acworth Georgia
You could install 4 ohm in the dash and also 4 ohm in the kick panel, wire the right dash and right kick speakers in series and you would have 8 ohms on the right side. Do the same for the left side. This would provided a better match to the stock amp, but as mentioned in someone else's post, the nominal impedance is a DC resistance. The AC impedance varies according to signal frequency. Maximum power transfer happens when an amplifier's output impedance matches its load impedance.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 502
Likes: 103
From: Reno Nevada
If you have the originals, they can be rebuilt. Talk to Shawn at:
Golden Gate Electronic Repair specializing in the repair, modification and restoration of antique, vintage, and modern electronics.
Limbonic Audio custom manufacture of hi-end audio electronics.
Contact Shawn 775-440-1931 or 925-642-9039
he does some amazing restorations of audio equipment.
Golden Gate Electronic Repair specializing in the repair, modification and restoration of antique, vintage, and modern electronics.
Limbonic Audio custom manufacture of hi-end audio electronics.
Contact Shawn 775-440-1931 or 925-642-9039
he does some amazing restorations of audio equipment.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,810
Likes: 469
From: Wichita Kansas
So when I replaced my shot original speakers on my stock AM/FM Stereo with two 10 ohm dash speakers and then added 2 more and put them in boxes in the back, I did myself a great dis-service and am way over my ohm-age. I will have to address this backwards thinking I was doing at that time and decrease my ohms. 
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,875
Likes: 3,554
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
So when I replaced my shot original speakers on my stock AM/FM Stereo with two 10 ohm dash speakers and then added 2 more and put them in boxes in the back, I did myself a great dis-service and am way over my ohm-age. I will have to address this backwards thinking I was doing at that time and decrease my ohms.
In a simple circuit- yes- you'd apply Kirchoff's Voltage Law which dictates the sum of the voltages within a circuit must equal to zero. So the higher impedance would see more voltage....
HOWEVER-a loudspeaker isn't a simple resistor (resistance) - it's an electroacoustical-mechanical device. It (speaker) presents a complex impedance which varies with frequency AND the power level.
Now in a series- It will "see" 20 Ω
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,837
Likes: 1,028
If you have the originals, they can be rebuilt. Talk to Shawn at:
Golden Gate Electronic Repair specializing in the repair, modification and restoration of antique, vintage, and modern electronics.
Limbonic Audio custom manufacture of hi-end audio electronics.
Contact Shawn 775-440-1931 or 925-642-9039
he does some amazing restorations of audio equipment.
Golden Gate Electronic Repair specializing in the repair, modification and restoration of antique, vintage, and modern electronics.
Limbonic Audio custom manufacture of hi-end audio electronics.
Contact Shawn 775-440-1931 or 925-642-9039
he does some amazing restorations of audio equipment.
And again. They are 8 ohms. Impedence is nominal. They were simply rated 10 ohms so you would go to the dealer.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
If you simply replace the dash speakers, you will need to find some 8 ohm units. Otherwise, with 4 ohm impedance speakers, you could over-current the stock radio amp stages if you raised the volume too far.
The better approach is to install 4 ohm dash speakers and 4 ohm kickpanel speakers (on each side) and wire each pair of speakers in SERIES. That will give a good impedance match for the Delco amp.
Also, the speakers you buy need to be LOW WATTAGE units. The Delco head only had about 16 watts of power (rms). If you throw some high wattage/low efficiency speakers in your car and hook them to that radio head, it will work fine....but it won't have much volume. Buy some 30 watt (max) speakers for all locations; install the largest bass/midrange speakers you can fit into the kickpanels. You will get good high frequencies from the dash speakers and decent bass from the kickpanel speakers.
The better approach is to install 4 ohm dash speakers and 4 ohm kickpanel speakers (on each side) and wire each pair of speakers in SERIES. That will give a good impedance match for the Delco amp.
Also, the speakers you buy need to be LOW WATTAGE units. The Delco head only had about 16 watts of power (rms). If you throw some high wattage/low efficiency speakers in your car and hook them to that radio head, it will work fine....but it won't have much volume. Buy some 30 watt (max) speakers for all locations; install the largest bass/midrange speakers you can fit into the kickpanels. You will get good high frequencies from the dash speakers and decent bass from the kickpanel speakers.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 297
From: Slovenia, EU
2017 C3 of Year Finalist
Well I have similar issue, but I got original speakers and aftermarket radio.
Which speakers should I use? Can I remove the capacitators (or what are they called) when installing new speakers?
Which speakers should I use? Can I remove the capacitators (or what are they called) when installing new speakers?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 17,676
Likes: 201
From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
For maximum power transfer the resistance of the load (speaker) must equal the output resistance looking out from the amplifier side.
That said this will only occur when you crank your stereo up to 11.
Good Stereo and amplifier output circuits are able to handle 4-8hm speakers and really good amps are good for2-8ohms.
There is a lot more to this but the bottom line is you can put 4 or 8ohm speakers on your amp and with a good one you can mix and match the impedances.
That said this will only occur when you crank your stereo up to 11.
Good Stereo and amplifier output circuits are able to handle 4-8hm speakers and really good amps are good for2-8ohms.
There is a lot more to this but the bottom line is you can put 4 or 8ohm speakers on your amp and with a good one you can mix and match the impedances
.
Last edited by MotorHead; Jun 8, 2017 at 02:51 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,116
From: Crossville TN
MOST modern radio/amp units have 4 ohm speaker outputs. You can hook up anything with higher impedance than that...but you should expect a proportional drop in sound power (ie, 8 ohm speakers would draw half the current that would result with 4 ohm speakers). On the upside, if you go with higher impedance speakers, the sound 'quality' will be better at higher volume settings (less volume, but better sound).
I believe it would be best to install some good quality 4 ohm speakers. The factory speakers were junk to begin with! But, I still think having speakers in the kickpanel areas as well would greatly improve the depth and quality of sound to the tunes. In the case of an aftermarket head unit with pretty good output power, wiring 4 ohm speakers in SERIES [on each side] would get you 8 ohm total impedance, which would provide 'clean' sound quality.
I believe it would be best to install some good quality 4 ohm speakers. The factory speakers were junk to begin with! But, I still think having speakers in the kickpanel areas as well would greatly improve the depth and quality of sound to the tunes. In the case of an aftermarket head unit with pretty good output power, wiring 4 ohm speakers in SERIES [on each side] would get you 8 ohm total impedance, which would provide 'clean' sound quality.
Last edited by 7T1vette; Jun 8, 2017 at 07:57 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 8,875
Likes: 3,554
From: Fernandina Beach FL
2023 Restomod of the Year finalist
2020 C3 of the Year Winner - Modified
...but you should expect a proportional drop in sound power (ie, 8 ohm speakers would draw half the current that would result with 4 ohm speakers). On the upside, if you go with higher impedance speakers, the sound 'quality' will be better at higher volume settings (less volume, but better sound).
The sound difference between the two is MINIMAL- only 3dB- the smallest increment a human can determine in sound levels.
Since most amps DO NOT double the power as impedance is halved-
using a lower impedance speaker can actually reduce the sonic potential of the system.
When you pull more current due to having a lower impedance, you generate more heat. The hotter a device gets, the less efficient it becomes. Plus if you're pulling more current, the device also becomes limited in how much voltage it can pass. Lack of voltage means reduced dynamic headroom with more potential for compression or clipping.
So you are ALWAYS better off with a higher efficiency (AKA sensitivity), higher impedance speaker. And I said efficiency NOT the watts it rated at.
Richard