Mismatching Wattage

[admin_exported]

Hi,

Would I get away with running 75 watt speakers with an 80 watt amp, providing I didn't drive them too hard?

Thanks,

 

[Crossie]

Yes, you will be alright - a 5 Watt mismatch is nothing to worry about. Underpowered amps are more likely to harm speakers than over powered amps.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks,

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

Underpowered amps are more likely to harm speakers than over powered amps.

I wonder how is it so...

 

[The_Lhc]

With an underpowered amp you're more likely to turn the amp up to it's maximum in order to get a reasonable volume, this will lead to the amp clipping and distorting the waveform, which is one of the quickest ways of damaging the speakers.

With an overpowered amp you're more likely to reach your limit of comfort before the amp or speakers do.

 

[oldric_naubhoff]

With an underpowered amp you're more likely to turn the amp up to it's maximum in order to get a reasonable volume, this will lead to the amp clipping and distorting the waveform, which is one of the quickest ways of damaging the speakers.

With an overpowered amp you're more likely to reach your limit of comfort before the amp or speakers do.

very much true but knowing that most of the times an amp produces approx 10Wpc (into 8 Ohms) max to yield considerably loud volume levels in home listening situation it's hard to believe you could bring your amp into clipping for long periods of time and only then you truly put your speakers' tweeters into jeopardy. when you listen to music with big dynamic swings (best example would be philharmonic orchestra music) you put your amp into clipping more often than you realise (unless you have an amp with at least 300 Wpc to comfortably accomodate for 25dB swings). anyway it's very unlikely that you'll harm speakers with low power high quality amp.

different matter if you play at clubbing volume levels. than you definitely need many watts of raw power and most importantly speakers which can withstand long periods of high power delivery. otherwise you will not realise when coils get melted...

 

[Anonymous]

[/quote]

different matter if you play at clubbing volume levels. than you definitely need many watts of raw power and most importantly speakers which can withstand long periods of high power delivery. otherwise you will not realise when coils get melted...

[/quote]

many a time have i caused an amp to go into meltdown and not once have I blown/damaged a speaker...must have been lucky. Overheated one in less than a minute, could't hear distortion though...Speakers were (sold them now) 200w "programme" whatever that means so not massive power handling. One of the amps was an arcam alpha 9 which can do 140w rms into 4 ohms (speakers bass impendence dips below 4 ohms). Amazing they never blew.