Speaker Impedance Calculator

Calculate Speaker Impedance









Formula

To calculate the total impedance (I):

For Series:

\[ I = X1 + X2 + X3 + \ldots \]

For Parallel:

\[ I = \frac{1}{\left(\frac{1}{X1}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{X2}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{X3}\right) + \ldots} \]

Where:

What is Speaker Impedance?

Speaker impedance is defined as the total impedance of the electrical circuit connecting one or more speakers. Impedance is a measure of the resistance to an alternating current and is a combination of typical ohmic resistance and reactance.

Why is Speaker Impedance Important?

Speaker impedance is a key factor in the power required to achieve a certain signal level. This can be seen if you look at the formula for power, \(P = \frac{V^2}{Z}\), where \(P\) is the power, \(V\) is the voltage, and \(Z\) is the impedance. When an impedance is lower, the required power will be higher, and when the impedance is higher, the required power will be lower. Therefore, a high-impedance system will be less taxing on an amplifier when trying to achieve the same voltage.

Example Calculation 1 (Series)

Let's assume the following values:

Using the series formula:

\[ I = X1 + X2 + X3 = 4 + 8 + 4 = 16 \text{ ohms} \]

The Total Impedance is 16 ohms.

Example Calculation 2 (Parallel)

Let's assume the following values:

Using the parallel formula:

\[ I = \frac{1}{\left(\frac{1}{4}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{8}\right) + \left(\frac{1}{4}\right)} = \frac{1}{0.25 + 0.125 + 0.25} = \frac{1}{0.625} = 1.60 \text{ ohms} \]

The Total Impedance is 1.60 ohms.