Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Will an Onkyo 797 drive the M80's @4ohms?

Alan, I have emailed Onkyo for a response on this question. Have been busy with WORK! so have not had the time to call them but will soon if no answer from them. I have a gut feeling you are correct. But, in the manual's specification page it lists dynamic power output (stereo)at 2 x 210 watts at 4 ohms. If indeed it won't carry the load so to speak, I guess then I will have to renegotiate with the wife the need for a new receiver in-lieu of new HT room furniture! Doesn't bother me to sit in my somewhat tattered and abused Lazy Boy a while longer. >-

radtek:

Ignore all "dynamic power" ratings (at 4 ohms, 2 ohms, etc.) for A/V receivers not just from Onkyo but other brands as well. It's a very misleading and useless spec because the dynamic power rating is measured in milliseconds (that's a few thousandths of a second). So, sure, it may deliver 210 watts per channel into 4 ohms for a couple of hundred milliseconds (1/5 second), or perhaps even a second, then it will overheat and the thermal or current-limiting sensor will shut it down.

Look for a continuous power-output rating into a 4-ohm load, perhaps just at 1 kHz with one or two channels driven.

Regards,

Alan, In that case, Continuous Power output (DIN) is rated at 135 watts at 6 ohms. Maximum Power output 160 watts at 6 ohms. No 4 ohm ratings other then what I mentioned before. I will go with M80's and if the Onkyo has an effort problem with them will get a Denon 3805 or since I really like the Onkyo maybe a Onkyo 901.
And, thanks for all the help with this

Dewayne, one suggestion I'd have is to only set the 797 to 4 ohms as a last resort, i.e. if it keeps shutting down. As Alan pointed out, receivers which have a 4 ohm switch or menu setting have reduced maximum power at that setting, since what it does is to reduce the maximum voltage, and therefore power, available. The 797 is a pretty sturdy unit and I suspect that there won't be a problem, but I don't have any specific info on the matter.