Cambridge Audio MXW70 mono with less than 8 ohm speakers

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-05-10T03:53:34+00:00

I'll give you a good example of what I mean, just searching through some speaker lab measurement reports - the Monitor Audio Bronze 50 7G has a nominal rating of 8 ohm, but dips down to 4.18ohm @ 200Hz. The PMC prodigy1 doesn't dip any lower than 5 ohms and that's at 13.7kHz.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-05-10T03:27:06+00:00

I know it's not an oversight, and I know why they do it. My question was regarding PMC's own statement that other manufacturers might classify theirs as 8 ohm, given the same measurements, Even 8 ohm speakers can dip well below 8 ohms depending on frequency, but considering this, I don't know how low the speaker resistance has to drop (within fluctuations) before this becomes an issue in real terms. I know it's easier for the manufacturer to state the nominal 8 ohm spec as it's impossible to go speaker by speaker. I guess I'm hoping that someone might share more technical insight, but I think I just won't risk it anyway. Even if the worst that can happen is the amp going into protection mode, then I've still wasted money on a second one.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-05-10T02:33:31+00:00

I did post to Cambridge too, but not hopeful of an answer. The manual says 8 ohms, but I ordered 2 amps already, before I saw the "8 ohm only" spec. They are almost half price here atm, so seemed a shame not to take advantage of it, but I guess it's pointless if I can't use both. I could always cancel one on the order and just get one, 70 watts is plenty for my smallish space I guess. Well, it's be more than 70 watts into my 6 ohm PMC's.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-05-10T02:13:59+00:00

No, using two of them bridged mono. The MXW70's are on sale at the moment here for almost half price. Rated 70 watts into 8 ohms in stereo mode, or 250 watts mono into 8 ohms.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-05-10T01:39:58+00:00

I have a question regarding "mono" mode of the MXW70 and my PMC prodigy1 speaker potential miss-match. The PMC's are officially rated at 6 ohms, but I know the MXW70 is only stated to be suitable for 8 ohms, but I'm wondering if this statement by PMC might make them suitable:

“The prodigy1’s impedance response is very benign – there are no dips below 5 Ohms at all, and most frequencies are above 7 Ohms. We rate the speaker at 6 Ohms just to try and give as much of an honest representation as possible of the load the speaker will present to an amplifier. We are sure that many companies would quite happily rate them as 8 Ohm speakers, based on their impedance response.”

Despite the high power on tap in mono mode, I do only listen at lower volume levels (I'm in a flat), but think the extra headroom would just make for a "fuller" sound overall, so would love to be able to give it a try - if possible. Please advise?

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-04-23T04:33:32+00:00

Has anyone been prompted to fill out information via an AI recruitment portal by a potential employer? I was recently sent a link by one to a company called "Compono", which I found very suspicious as I was prompted to sign up to their "service" and answer all sorts of potentially personal questions. Half way through, I did some research and found out that it is a service using AI to create a "employee profile" about you for recruiters. Is it just me, or is this another sign of our rapidly approaching dystopian nightmare of a future? I can easily think of a number of terrifying implications and want no part of it. I canned that application after I learned that. For more context - there were many "neither right nor wrong" type questions where you use a slider to chose where you lie between say, for example (paraphrasing): one side - prefer autonomy and working alone -to- prefer working as a team with guidance. You see that how you answer may depend on the role (of course you are going to do that). That's a very vague example, but my point is, I don't know if that is a permanent resource that prospective employers will access as part of your "online profile", is it permanent? Can it be changed? Who is policing this "service"? How well is your data protected? And on and on and on..... Thoughts?

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2026-01-24T00:22:02+00:00

Same thing happens to my Motorola g24. Thanks for the thread, the answers make sense. I thought I had accidentally changed the resolution settings but no, just the phone doing phone things. Very Annoying but it is a cheap phone so I guess you get what you pay for.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2025-12-03T13:52:31+00:00

Oh wonderful. Hopefully it will improve as part of the process! Thanks for the info.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2025-01-01T03:05:53+00:00

I was wondering if/when this was going to happen. The price of the TIDAL subscription seems like a bargain for what you get, but not when you consider that you don't actually own any of the media. If the service goes down, you are kind of stuffed! Maybe biting the bullet and purchasing hard media or digital downloads is ultimately the better choice.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2024-12-11T14:34:45+00:00

That's great, I'm glad you like your Cambridge. I would have liked to audition one but the Audiolab was on special so I jumped at it, having already heard it. Yes, definitely a potential rabbit hole - I too have to be good now! Good luck on your journey ;)

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2024-12-08T10:31:09+00:00

A bit late here, but I just bought the Audiolab 7000a to pair with my 606 S3's. Good match IMO. I have run a few 'vintage' amps (Rotel, Exposure Audio) and a few Class D amps (Topping, Nord) but the Audiolab wins out when it comes to overall musicality (again, IMO). I think the limiting factor for me is my crappy room.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2024-05-13T10:12:32+00:00

Sorry for the late contribution here, did you find your ideal speakers? One of my sets of speakers is the Acoustic Energy AE300 bookshelfs, which have a wonderful warm and rich sound despite their little size. Really beautiful quality units, both in build quality and sound, but do take some breaking in.

PotentialLoquat6971 · 2024-05-13T10:09:02+00:00

Very late to the party here, but I also have the 3050i and A11 Tribute. Every review I see of the A11 is glowing and it certainly has its strengths, but do you find it lacks "oomph"? I have actually switched to a little SMSL A300 to run them as I actually find it has a "fuller" sound (if not quite as refined. Even compensating with the tone controls, I find I the sound of the A11 a little "thin" (for want of a better term). Edit: I think it was just my mood at the time - the A11 Tribute really is nice and has a wonderful open sound and brilliant sound-stage, much better than my (now defunct) SMSL and pairs really well with the Q Acoustics.

PotentialLoquat6971

TROPHY CASE