2. amps-preamps
  3. 165028-98081

enough amplifier power

I am curious as to why so many people think that their amplifiers are powerful enough for their speakers. I use a Yamamoto A-08S--around 1.5 watts output. I use it with a Fostex F-106ESR. The combination is a little ragged at low volumes, but beautifully immediate. Distorts awfully at anything approaching a decent volume. I see people using 20-100 watt amplifiers with medium efficiency loudspeakers. I do not see how this can work any better. If you work out the math, most loudspeakers need 200-500 watts minimum. That is not even taking into account low impedance loudspeakers. Do people not know what distortion sounds like? Or, compression either, for that matter? Please enlighten me.
hedwigstheme
mitch2
4,044 posts
 
and, there are 90db speakers that are easy to drive as well as 90db speakers that provide a difficult load due to low impedances in the lower frequencies and phase angle issues.
stereo5's avatar
stereo5
6,428 posts
 
So the moral of the story is that we all should be listening to MC and ditch our under 92 DB efficient speakers? MC got me on”they should do as I recommended and avoid speakers under 92DB” how pompous of him.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,968 posts
 
depends on how much you like the sound of transformers, with a few notable exceptions...
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
So the moral of the story is that we all should be listening to MC and ditch our under 92 DB efficient speakers? MC got me on”they should do as I recommended and avoid speakers under 92DB” how pompous of him.
The moral of the story is you should read what I write and work on your reading comprehension. Like, "avoid" does not mean "get rid of". That is just a fact. You could look it up. In fact, I recommend you do. While you are at it, look up "pompous". Pretty sure it does not mean "helpful" which is what anyone who takes my advice and avoids low sensitivity speakers will agree, it certainly is helpful. 

Another good one, look up some adjectives for one with poor reading and writing skills. The more of those you learn, the less of a problem with it you will have. That ain't pompous, just a fact. And you could use the help.
cakyol's avatar
cakyol
940 posts
 
russ69,

The reason for the twice as powerful requirement is for clipping.

Do you know what that is ?

If you overdrive an amp, it will clip and may actually DESTROY your speakers, typically starting with the tweeters first.

With and amp twice as powerful as your speakers however, you cannot quite do that even if you accidentally want to because you will notice your speakers getting strained (but not destroyed) sounding really bad and you will turn the volume down.  With clipping, you will not have enough time to react to turn down the volume.  Clipping happens almost instantaneously.

However, if you do have an amp which can soft clip (again, as I indicated above), then this danger is no longer there and any combination of speaker & amplifier can be used safely.


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