Impedance

Impedance is one of audio’s more confusing concepts. To clarify this topic, I’ll present a few questions and answers about impedance.

WHAT IS IMPEDANCE?

Impedance (Z) is the resistance of a circuit to alternating current, such as an audio signal. Technically, impedance is the total opposition (including resistance and reactance) that a circuit has to passing alternating current.

A high-impedance circuit tends to have high voltage and low current. A low-impedance circuit tends to have relatively low voltage and high current.

I’M CONNECTING TWO AUDIO DEVICES. IS IT IMPORTANT TO MATCH THEIR IMPEDANCES? WHAT IF I DON’T?

First, let’s review some definitions. When you connect two devices, one is the source and one is the load. ...

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