Hello -

Very basic question regarding Watts per channel of my stereo vs input
power of my speakers. I bought a home theater in a box system. The
Stereo is rated @ 80W per channel, while the speakers are only rated
at a max input power of 50W per speaker. Is this correct, if so - what
is the rule of thumb if I want to get some new speakers? Is it better
to get speakers rated @ 80W-100W input power?

Thank you

Spiderman wrote:

Very basic question regarding Watts per channel of my stereo vs input
power of my speakers. I bought a home theater in a box system. The
Stereo is rated @ 80W per channel, while the speakers are only rated
at a max input power of 50W per speaker. Is this correct, if so - what
is the rule of thumb if I want to get some new speakers? Is it better
to get speakers rated @ 80W-100W input power?

The power amplifier wpc rating may be something accurate and objective
(in which case it will usually be referred to as RMS power at a rated
distortion), or it could be a number pulled out of the marketing department's
collective asses (in which case you will see PMPO numbers or RMS power
at 10% distortion and other such crap).

The speaker power ratings are always numbers pulled out of the marketing
department's asses. They are general sort of guidelines for the power
levels they want you to use.

In general, if it sounds good, it's fine. If it clips or bottoms out,
it's very, very bad.
--scott

Thank you


--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

In theory (note)... A speaker's "power rating" means that it can safely be
connected to amplifier of that rating and be played "loudly" without damaging
the speaker. It does NOT mean that the speaker can handle that much continuous
average power.

In practice... It doesn't matter what the amplifier power is, as long as you
DON'T drive the system into audible distortion.

The problem is that most listeners have not idea what distortion sounds like, so
they crank up the volume until the speaker (and sometimes the amplifier) is
damaged.

In article writes:

I bought a home theater in a box system. The
Stereo is rated @ 80W per channel, while the speakers are only rated
at a max input power of 50W per speaker. Is this correct, if so - what
is the rule of thumb if I want to get some new speakers?

If the speakers came in the same box as the amplifier, then they're
fine. Power measurements can be made in many different ways, and the
method is rarely specified on a system like yours. My guess is that
the amplifier is 80 watts on one channel with none of the others
operating (it can be any channel, so they can get away with saying
"per channel") and that's for very brief periods (like a few cycles,
not a few minutes), downhill, with a tail wind.

The speakers will probably take peaks of 50 watts which is more than
the amplifier will be putting out unless you like listening to loud
sine waves.

Don't get better speakers until you decide to get a better amplifier
to go with them.


--
I'm really Mike Rivers - )
However, until the spam goes away or Hell freezes over,
lots of IP addresses are blocked from this system. If
you e-mail me and it bounces, use your secret decoder ring
and reach me he double-m-eleven-double-zero at yahoo

(Spiderman) wrote in message om...
Hello -

Very basic question regarding Watts per channel of my stereo vs input
power of my speakers. I bought a home theater in a box system. The
Stereo is rated @ 80W per channel, while the speakers are only rated
at a max input power of 50W per speaker. Is this correct, if so - what
is the rule of thumb if I want to get some new speakers? Is it better
to get speakers rated @ 80W-100W input power?

Thank you

Power ratings tend to be ball park figures since many manufacturers
may test differently and it looks better to show more watts on paper.
Either way IME it's usually good to have more power available from the
amp than the speaker rating. Then if you hear distortion you just turn
it down when you hear the speakers fart. Underpowering a speaker is
more likely to cause damage sending clipped audio to the drivers.