Speaker input rating

[joppetie]

Hey guys!

 

I have a stereo amplifier connected to two speakers, as one does.

The stereo is rated for 2x 55W output power, and both speakers say "Maximum input power 100W"

What exactly does this mean? Is it fine to crank is all the way? And is there a time limit or something, since it says maximum, not mean?

 

Thanks!

[Lutkeveld]

It's fine, turn it down when it audibly distorts.

[NannerBeans]

It's fine since 25w will most likely be way louder than you need.

[joppetie]

It's fine since 25w will most likely be way louder than you need.

I know, but I just kind of want to know if I need to worry if max volume is too high.

Say, if I need to monitor what guests do, or if it really doesn't matter for the speakers.

[mr moose]

I know, but I just kind of want to know if I need to worry if max volume is too high.

Say, if I need to monitor what guests do, or if it really doesn't matter for the speakers.

 

Nah, just listen to the music and:

 

 

It's fine, turn it down when it audibly distorts.

[frozeefrank]

the wattage is only part of the info you need. impedence (in ohm) is more important. for exemple: if you send a 50W @ 4ohm signal to a speaker than can handle 100w @ 4ohm it will be ok. But if you send a 50w @ 4ohm signal to a speaker tha can handle 100w @ 8ohm, you amplifier is likely to overheat and redure its performance and life time. The opposite is also true, if you send a 50w @ 8ohm to a speaker designed to receive a 50w @ 4ohm, you speaker is likely to overheat(creating distortion) and will eventually burn from the inside.

 

ohm is the amount of electricity allowed at a given moment

watt is the amout of power allowed at a given moment

[mr moose]

the wattage is only part of the info you need. impedence (in ohm) is more important. for exemple: if you send a 50W @ 4ohm signal to a speaker than can handle 100w @ 4ohm it will be ok. But if you send a 50w @ 4ohm signal to a speaker tha can handle 100w @ 8ohm, you amplifier is likely to overheat and redure its performance and life time. The opposite is also true, if you send a 50w @ 8ohm to a speaker designed to receive a 50w @ 4ohm, you speaker is likely to overheat(creating distortion) and will eventually burn from the inside.

 

ohm is the amount of electricity allowed at a given moment

watt is the amout of power allowed at a given moment

no

 

EDIT: not too sure what you are trying to say, but you don't send watts and over heating will not occur in speakers specifically due to resistance. 

[Lutkeveld]

the wattage is only part of the info you need. impedence (in ohm) is more important. for exemple: if you send a 50W @ 4ohm signal to a speaker than can handle 100w @ 4ohm it will be ok. But if you send a 50w @ 4ohm signal to a speaker tha can handle 100w @ 8ohm, you amplifier is likely to overheat and redure its performance and life time. The opposite is also true, if you send a 50w @ 8ohm to a speaker designed to receive a 50w @ 4ohm, you speaker is likely to overheat(creating distortion) and will eventually burn from the inside.

 

ohm is the amount of electricity allowed at a given moment

watt is the amout of power allowed at a given moment

 

You can't 'sent' watts, you apply voltage. Since ohm works inverse (P=U^2/2R), the less ohms a speaker has the more watts (P=U*I) you get from the same voltage.

50W at 8 ohm would be 25W in 4 ohm. You can't choose impedance, it's determined by the speaker you use.

Not to be rude, but literally 90% of your post is incorrect.

 

 

no

 

EDIT: not too sure what you are trying to say, but you don't send watts and over heating will not occur in speakers specifically due to resistance. 

 

Actually, yes it does Assuming the same voltage, lower resistance would result in higher current flow.

That is part of the reason that you don't see a lot of 2 ohm speakers in the PA world, this would cause huge power compression issues or even a melting VC.

[mr moose]

You can't 'sent' watts, you apply voltage. Since ohm works inverse (P=U^2/2R), the less ohms a speaker has the more watts (P=U*I) you get from the same voltage.

50W at 8 ohm would be 25W in 4 ohm. You can't choose impedance, it's determined by the speaker you use.

Not to be rude, but literally 90% of your post is incorrect.

 

 

 

Actually, yes it does Assuming the same voltage, lower resistance would result in higher current flow.

That is part of the reason that you don't see a lot of 2 ohm speakers in the PA world, this would cause huge power compression issues or even a melting VC.

 

Keeping in context (and simple), I used the word "specifically", because it's both rare to find 2 ohm speakers and in order to damage a speaker you need to drive it further than distortion,  Keeping the volume low (thus voltage low) on a 4 ohm speaker should not result in it over heating. 

[I/O]

Watts don't really mean shit. What matters is the sensitivty of the speakers and we measuer this in Ohms. The more sensitive and quality the speakers the less Watts they take to drive. A Cerwin Vwga speaker rated at 100watts max power handling would sound much louder and clear when driven @ 100watts comparied to a crap speaker that would just literally fall apart.

[Lutkeveld]

Watts don't really mean shit. What matters is the sensitivty of the speakers and we measuer this in Ohms. The more sensitive and quality the speakers the less Watts they take to drive. A Cerwin Vwga speaker rated at 100watts max power handling would sound much louder and clear when driven @ 100watts comparied to a crap speaker that would just literally fall apart.

Sensitivity is measured in dB/w/m or dB/2.83v/m. The last one takes impedance into play with 4 ohm being +3dB over 8 ohm (2.83v is 2w in 4 ohm)

[creatip123]

Watts don't really mean shit. What matters is the sensitivty of the speakers and we measuer this in Ohms. The more sensitive and quality the speakers the less Watts they take to drive. A Cerwin Vwga speaker rated at 100watts max power handling would sound much louder and clear when driven @ 100watts comparied to a crap speaker that would just literally fall apart.

 

Sensitivity in ohms? Woot??

 

Also, drive a speaker with 100W max power with a continuous 100W from an amp, it will distort like crazy for a few seconds, and die. Max power handling is reserved for spikes in loudness, not intended for continuous operations. 

[I/O]

Sigh just get a decent set and do your self a favor. Fuck opinions !

[Lutkeveld]

Sigh just get a decent set and do your self a favor. Fuck opinions !

*facts

@creatip123 max power handling is useless, even RMS is often. Thermal music load is at least 10-12db under peak and the sub will bottom out way early.

[I/O]

*facts

@creatip123 max power handling is useless, even RMS is often. Thermal music load is at least 10-12db under peak and the sub will bottom out way early.

@ Facts ... get a quality set ! Fuck me right ... buy quality ... but fuck that right LOL !

[Lutkeveld]

@ Facts ... get a quality set ! Fuck me right ... buy quality ... but fuck that right LOL !

Agreed with that, but your reasoning was wrong. Higher quality also doesn't mean higher sensitivity.

[I/O]

Agreed with that, but your reasoning was wrong. Higher quality also doesn't mean higher sensitivity.

Sigh. A quality set of speakers are sensitive.

[Lutkeveld]

Sigh. A quality set of speakers are sensitive.

Why the 'sigh' man, I'm not an ignorant spammer trying to attack you. Just explaining so you can learn from it. You can't get around physics (hoffman's iron law). If you want a small speaker with good bass it's going to be inefficient. A good designer can maximize the results, but there is a limit. Most worldclass speakers are 'only' 90dbwm or even lower because they choose bass extension over sensitivity.

[I/O]

Why the 'sigh' man, I'm not an ignorant spammer trying to attack you. Just explaining so you can learn from it. You can't get around physics (hoffman's iron law). If you want a small speaker with good bass it's going to be inefficient. A good designer can maximize the results, but there is a limit. Most worldclass speakers are 'only' 90dbwm or even lower because they choose bass extension over sensitivity.

That's why all the good speakers are extreamly sensitive.

[mr moose]

That's why all the good speakers are extreamly sensitive.

Absolutely not, not even a little bit.

 

 

So driver manufacturers put most of their R & D efforts into low sensitivity drivers that can play deep in a small cabinet

 

http://www.salksound.com/wp/?p=56

[I/O]

Absolutely not, not even a little bit.

LOL ok dude I guess all high end speaker and mid range cant pick up shit from thy ground LOL.

[mr moose]

LOL ok dude I guess all high end speaker and mid range cant pick up shit from thy ground LOL.

that doesn't even make sense.

[Lutkeveld]

Because they're small and lack bass? I think you misinterpreted my point. Since power is so cheap nowadays even the highest quality speakers choose bass extension over sensitivity for a given size. But I think we can both indeed agree that reasonable quality speakers are often more sensitive/efficient than your average 30 bucks wallmart speaker.

[I/O]

Because they're small and lack bass? I think you misinterpreted my point. Since power is so cheap nowadays even the highest quality speakers choose bass extension over sensitivity for a given size. But I think we can both indeed agree that reasonable quality speakers are often more sensitive/efficient than your average 30 bucks wallmart speaker.

A high quality Bowers and Wilkens 20Watt can put out more Quality sound including Bass, Mids and Treble etc than a Logitec POS 500Watt watt LOL !

[Lutkeveld]

So you're saying that the B&W is ~13db (20 times) more efficient than the Logitech? Let's be real here.