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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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General Asylum General audio topics that don't fit into specific categories. |
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In Reply to: Watts, Speaker & Amps. posted by davesear on August 25, 2003 at 12:10:46:
Sometimes we have so much fun arguing with each other that we fail to provide concise answers to any questions.QUESTION:
"Based on the Wattage rating on your amp and your speakers, is it possible to determine whether or not your speakers are at risk of damage?"ANSWER:
No.More information:
Damage correlates best with how loud your speakers are played.
Play speakers too loud for too long and the tweeters will be damaged. Almost every amplifier available is capable of damaging tweeters if the music is played too LOUD for too long, whether 20wpc or 200wpc or 2,000wpc.
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QUESTION:
"Can anyone appease my concern that I am at risk of doing damage without really cranking it, but just because the amp has a higher output?"ANSWER:
Calm down -- the amp's output directly correlates with how loud the speakers are playing. If playing REALLY LOUD, you'd probably have an average output of only 10-20wpc.More information:
The 70 wpc power output you mention is the maximum power output at a given rate of distortion. At higher rates of distortion, your amp could probably output 140 wpc, if you're interested.In normal listening you will almost always generate less than 10-20 watts per channel ... with 1-2wpc being typical. However if you turn up the volume incredibly LOUD you WILL be able to damage the tweeters ... and your hearing.
My sister-in-law, for example, blew both tweeters in the ADS L410 speakers I gave her as a gift by trying to fill her large house with music during a party. The Sony amplifier I gave her was somewhere in the range of 30 to 60wpc. I provided replacement tweeters for free and there's been no damage again since the early 1980's so far.
So just use common sense with the volume control and you'll be okay --but beware of alcohol & parties -- the leading causes of speaker damage!Even though I've been an audiophile since the mid-1960's, and have been building DIY speakers since 1971, the ONLY definitive statement I could make about speaker damage is to describe the one thing I always hear before the damage is done:
****The music was VERY LOUD***
Based on the Wattage rating on your amp and your speakers, is it For instance, My amp is 70 watts per channel(Marantz 2270). My speakers are 50 Watts (ADS L420). I listen to my system at a moderate level, and sometimes i like to kick it up a bit.
Can anyone appease my concern that I am at risk of doing damage without really cranking it, but just because the amp has a higher output? Thanks.
It is not possible to know ehether
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Follow Ups
- Concise answers to your questions.. finally - Richard BassNut Greene 17:24:53 08/25/03 (0)
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