Kevin,

I was wondering the same thing as you just yesterday when I picked up two
speakers in someone's garbage. I live nearby in Round Rock Texas. I also
have a Sherwood S8000 that I restored, and then got carried away with
modifications on. The wires were really bad with insulation falling off
everywhere, and the power transformer wires were all bare! You might laugh,
and then sigh, when you see the pictures at the following link:


http://pages.prodigy.net/jcandela/Sherwood_S8000/
I hope your transformers are in better shape than mine. I also had to
rebuild the audio output transformers in a similar way

Here is where the modifications began:

Proto boarding with 500 volts can be interesting! Always use a variac, ac
ammeter, use one hand, and stand on a piece of dry plywood!:
http://pages.prodigy.net/jcandela/Sh...rotoboard1.JPG

Close up of the proto board:
http://pages.prodigy.net/jcandela/Sh...rotoboard2.JPG

Final circuitry with description of changes:
http://pages.prodigy.net/jcandela/Sh.../regulator.htm

As for your question, I personally would run on the 4 ohm tap. That way you
will have maximum power available when running both sets of speakers. Also
if you load the amplifier with 4 ohms when on the 8 ohm tap, the reflected
plate to plate impedance will be reduced, and if you crank the volume when
in this condition, expect higher peak currents drawn by the 7868 plate and
screen, as well as higher distortion. The poor "stock" power supply
regulation of the Sherwood will really show it's ugly head too and this will
muddy the bass, and cause the FM multiplex to switch in and out of lock in
response to the audio bass notes.

Let me know how you proceed, and how it works out..

Regards,
Jim Candela

"Kevin Killebrew" wrote in message
...
Here is my question:

I've got a tubed receiver (Sherwood S8000) that is going to be connected
to
two sets of speakers via an external switch. One set is outside on the
patio, the other inside at the bar. Most of the time only one set of
speakers will be playing, but occasionally I forsee both sets being played
simultaneously. Both sets of speakers are 8 ohms so when I occasionally
run both pairs I will have four ohms (assuming they are paralleled) per
channel. Which receiver output should I run to the switch box? Four or
eight ohms?

Is it best to run an occasional four ohms on the eight ohm tap? or run
mostly eight ohms on the four ohm tap having a four ohm load only when
both
sets of speakers are playing? I suspect the eight ohm tap is the right
choice because it will be correct most of the time, but I wanted some RAT
opinions of the effect of running mismatched impedances, i.e., four ohm
load
on an eight ohm OT tap. I want to avoid an overly complex switch
arrangement.

Kevin Killebrew
Austin, Texas