The actual impedance load the HDL-6 presents to your receiver or amplifier will vary, depending on how many speaker pairs are playing, and the impedance rating of each speaker. If you have six pairs of 8-ohm speakers playing, the HDL-6 will present a 4.3 ohm impedance load to your receiver/amplifier. With six pairs of 4-ohm speakers playing, the load drops to slightly under 4 ohms.
If you intend to use the HDL-6 with more than two pairs of 4-ohm speakers, we recommend that you verify that the receiv- er or amplifier is capable of driving a 4-ohm load. Consult your Niles dealer, or receiver/amplifier manufacturer, if you are uncertain about the capabilities of the receiver/amplifier.
Type of Speaker Wire
For most applications, we recommend that you use 16-gauge or 18-gauge, stranded-copper speaker wire for the HDL-6 connections. For wiring runs longer than 80 feet, 14-gauge wire is recommended. Using speaker wire larger than 14-gauge for the HDL-6 connections is not recommended—the wire may not fit into the connectors. Never use solid-core, aluminum, or "Romex" wire with the HDL-6. For speaker-wire runs inside walls, most states and municipalities in the U.S. specify that you must use a special type of speaker wire. Usually, the requirement is that the wire has a specific "CL" fire rating, such as "CL-2" or "CL-3". Consult your Niles dealer, building contrac- tor, or local building and inspection department if you are unsure about which type of wire is best for your application.
