Author Topic: Power handling vs. amp output  (Read 13428 times)

Offline TNRabbit

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #30 on: January 23, 2014, 12:55:09 PM »
Sorry, misread that.  100 watt nominal, 500 max to Klipsch speakers?

Anywho, the same applies.  If somebody screws up, you can blow drivers or crossover parts to bits.
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Offline TNRabbit

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #31 on: January 23, 2014, 12:55:44 PM »
For some reason, I can't edit my posts...

FUSE = CHEAP INSURANCE
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Offline F1nut

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #32 on: January 23, 2014, 02:21:14 PM »
Rule #1 of the Audio Handbook. Look, but don't touch.

 
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Offline TNRabbit

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #33 on: January 23, 2014, 02:36:16 PM »
Rule #1 of the Audio Handbook. Look, but don't touch.

 


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Offline RuralTom

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #34 on: January 23, 2014, 03:16:29 PM »
Sorry, misread that.  100 watt nominal, 500 max to Klipsch speakers?

Anywho, the same applies.  If somebody screws up, you can blow drivers or crossover parts to bits.

Back to me, the OP, so is 160-200W per channel on those Klipsches rated 100/500 really so much on the edge?
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Offline TNRabbit

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #35 on: January 23, 2014, 03:27:19 PM »
I've had a few different Klipsch speakers...if you pound them hard on a regular basis, it's a LOT cheaper to replace a fuse than a horn or woofer~  just sayin'

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Offline TNRabbit

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #36 on: January 23, 2014, 03:31:52 PM »
Here's the deal.

You can pound on them to, say, 100-200 watts for short periods of time, on a regular basis, and it won't "blow" anything.  The 500 watts is fraction-of-a-second by the way.

However, over time, you can cause melted spots between the voice coil wires, which will, over time, lead to lowering resistance/impedance.  A little bit at a time like that can result in a pretty terribly melted voice coil in the end, that didn't come on all at once. 

Like I said, depends on how hard you're pounding them & how often.  Personally, I'd try to stay under 100 watts if that's the RMS rated value.
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Offline F1nut

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #37 on: January 23, 2014, 04:08:29 PM »
Back to me, the OP, so is 160-200W per channel on those Klipsches rated 100/500 really so much on the edge?

Not really. Far more damage to speakers is caused by low powered amps than by high powered amps. It's not hard to tell when a system has reached its limits.

That said, once again bridged amps are not the way to go, IMO.
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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #38 on: January 23, 2014, 04:26:32 PM »
You can never have enough power. However, don't let drunk people touch anything of you are running massive amps... >:D

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Offline Kingman

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #39 on: January 23, 2014, 05:14:53 PM »
For some reason, I can't edit my posts...

FUSE = CHEAP INSURANCE
I truely believe this even though I don't do it..... :-[
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Offline RuralTom

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #40 on: January 23, 2014, 05:16:41 PM »
Back to me, the OP, so is 160-200W per channel on those Klipsches rated 100/500 really so much on the edge?

Not really. Far more damage to speakers is caused by low powered amps than by high powered amps. It's not hard to tell when a system has reached its limits.

That said, once again bridged amps are not the way to go, IMO.

The bridged amp thing is all good, 'twas just a thought as I'm about to own two.  At this point it's more for future reference.
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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #41 on: January 23, 2014, 05:54:08 PM »
You can never have enough power. However, don't let drunk people touch anything of you are running massive amps... >:D

That includes Tom, the Proac woofer destroyer!   ^-^

Ha ha, the foam was 30 years young

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Offline MRHP

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #42 on: January 28, 2014, 11:17:19 AM »
My speakers are rated at 250wpc and I normally run them with 1000wpc with no problems. I just use volume control and common sense. And as stated before Alcohol and the volume knob dont mix.

F1, Im interested to know why bridged amps lose sound quality. I have a pair of Carver Baby Blacks and run the bridged mono quite often. They seem to sound great but I like to learn when I can.
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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #43 on: January 28, 2014, 12:11:50 PM »
This is discussed at length on multiple web forums,  but this snippet of text is a good summary IMO:

Bridging (also called monobridging or monoblocking) is the summing of two channels of an amp to give one higher-powered channel. An amp normally rated at 100W might deliver 300W to 400W when bridged. Because of the summing however, the load on the amp is seen as half of its normal value. In other words, an 8-ohm speaker becomes a 4-ohm speaker load, and a 4-ohm speaker becomes a 2-ohm speaker load. Speaker impedance ratings are nominal only. Actual impedance may dip to a much lower value through part of its range. When an amp's current load has been doubled due to bridging, it can often fail to provide the required amount of current into the load. Sonic effects include harshness in the midrange and highs, and thin bass. In almost all situations therefore, biamping with similar amps will result in better sound quality than bridging. Bridging is best left to professional sound-reinforcement applications, where sound quality is secondary.

Offline F1nut

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Re: Power handling vs. amp output
« Reply #44 on: January 29, 2014, 03:25:42 AM »

F1, Im interested to know why bridged amps lose sound quality. I have a pair of Carver Baby Blacks and run the bridged mono quite often. They seem to sound great but I like to learn when I can.

CaptainTapeDeek nailed it.
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