Multimeter DC resistance vs. specified impedance - what's the difference?

On this episode of Ask The Expert we're following on from the episode about impedance, explaining what to watch out for when measuring impedance yourself at home.

2023_Dynaudio_AskTheExpert_Ep11_MeasuringImpedanceAtHome_01.12min_Cover

In this episode of Ask The Expert we address a follow-up question to our episode on impedance.

If you have a question for our experts – whether that be a follow-up question to a previous episode or something that we haven't covered yet – don't hesitate to send it to us via the 'Send us your questions' form at the bottom of this page, and we'll do our best to answer it for you in a coming episode.

 

I have a pair of Dynaudio Contour 20. The impedance on my multimeter shows 8 ohms but in the specifications, it says 4 ohms. What are they?


When you are measuring the loudspeaker with a multimeter, you are actually measuring what's called DC resistance. This is the resistance or impedance at 0Hz and – as we explained in an earlier episode – impedance varies by frequency.

When we specify impedance, we do so based on the lowest point, which might be different to that of the DC resistance i.e the 0 Hz resistance.

In this specific case, you have a loudspeaker that measures 8 ohms at DC, but that goes lower (4 ohms) at a different place in the frequency response.

This is why we specify this speaker at 4 ohms, even though the DC resistance is 8 ohms.

 

Send us your questions

Don't forget to submit your questions to our experts via the form below – they might just get featured in a future episode of Ask The Expert!

 

Dynaudio Magazine

Dynaudio Magazine is our universe of sound and music-related articles, videos, and podcasts, covering everything from loudspeakers and technology to extraordinary people, and our very best tips and tricks.

2025_Dynaudio_ATE_Ep33_ChoosingCarSound_02.46min_ListImage

High-end audio on the road - choosing the sound for your car

On this episode of Ask the Expert, Mikael Ankersen gives you an introduction to the Dynaudio automotive audio universe. So, if you're a fan of high-en...

2024_Dynaudio_ATE_Ep32_MonitoringBeyondStereo_02.32min_1200x1200px

Mixing in Immersive - Going beyond stereo

On this episode of Ask the Expert, we're going beyond the realm of stereophonia! Stephen Entwistle gives some pointers on how to get stuck into mixing...

2024_Dynaudio_ATE_Ep31_ListenLikeAPro_04.32min_1200X1200px_ListImage

How to listen like a professional sound engineer

In this episode of Ask the Expert, we've got Stephen Entwistle in the hot seat, sharing pearls of wisdom on how to train your way to a great pair of c...