I have some experience with doing it wrong. I had a Peavey power amp, modest with only 200 watts per channel. I only needed one channel / one speaker. Ok, so why not just connect an 8 ohm, 2 watt resistor across the other side speaker terminal to balance the load?

After about two seconds at zero volume, that resistor lit up like an incandescent bulb! I switched off the power as the smell began to reach my nose.

I’m still not sure why it didn’t work, but hey.


BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Roland Integra-7, Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.