The receiver's power output and the speaker's handling of it (1 Viewer)

[Matt Schaller]

Hello,

I have a pair of Axiom M3Ti's and a Sony WM40 subwoofer. My receiver is a Technics SA-EX140 and it is rated at 100 watts per channel.

I like to blare my music loud and currently, when the volume dial is set to the middle, I hear music that is less than loud. I do know that the subwoofer does take some of the power output for it's own.

My speakers are rated at 10-150 watts. If I have my receiver at 75% or maximum volume, then I know that is it putting out around 100 watts (minus the subwoofer's part). I am curious as to wether or not this will harm my speakers in the long run if they are continually receiving power at around 60-100 watts. I have had a pair of small computer speakers for about two years and after blaring music continually for hours each day they have a little distortion in them when played loud.

Even though I will never actually hit the maximum rating at 150 watts, I would like to know if they will degrade over an amount of time if played too loud?

Thanks for your time,

Matt Schaller

 

[kevin_tomb]

wow...not sure where to begin.....Dont wanna sound mean, but you seem to have absolutely NO understanding at all about power output, power handling or relative volume control levels..etc. A volume control setting has nothing to do with actual power output. It depends on input signal strength and amplification factor of receiver. Your sub isnt using any amp power at all. What sound levels are your speakers putting out?....Its hard to quantify "doesnt sound loud" without knowing numbers of decibels etc. Those speakers you have arent extremely efficient. but very nice sounding. Perhaps you need more of a "loud" efficient speaker. Your reciever really isnt 100 watts. If I remember right ist more like about 70 watts into 8 ohms both channels driven over the 20-20000 bandwidth. Technics doesnt rate this receiver properly. They give some lame 40-20000 rating with high distortion.

 

[Mike Sloan]

I was going to say about the same thing....what you need to do is first realize...the fastest way you will damage your speakers is by driving your amp into overload or clipping.You could damage a speaker that is rated to 500W by driving it with a wimpy receiver! You used the word "blare" to describe loud...blare makes me think distortion. A receiver that is rated at 100 Watts per channel probably is only putting out 30-50W all channels driven RMS at 8Ohms! I think my Denon 5803 which advertises 170W X 7 only puts out 104 all channels driven...don't get hung up on the numbers. Get a Radio shack SPL meter and a reference disc like Avia or the new Video Essentials and calibrate your system. You can absolutely damage your speakers!!!! You need to think about total volume of the room in cubic feet to determine whether you have enough power to "CLEANLY" drive the speakers to a "KNOWN" sound pressure level....no BLARING! Get a meter and ease off on your speakers until you get a handle on the situation..you will be surprised by the findings!

 

[Geoff L]

Yeh,
What Kevin and Mike said,,,absolutly!

Regards
Geoff

 

[Brian Bunge]

Also, since your subwoofer is powered it's using it's own internal amplifier. Therefore, it is not using any of the power from your receiver.

 

[Matt Schaller]

Kevin,

I do apologize. I am not very knowledgeable in the area of power output and such, and I didn't think you sounded mean. Thanks for the help. :]

Let me say that during all of this, I have been playing my CDs through a Sony portable CD player (which I hooked up to the receiver). I had the portable CD player at the leve 5 setting for volume because when I had it at the maximum, the signal would distort (this happened when I tried hooking up my Sennheiser HD280 Pro headphones to them, the signal would distort at maximum). As a result of this, I had to turn my receiver half way to maximum in order to get a moderate listening level.

Also, what I meant to say is that I would like to play my music loud enough that it fills the room. Clarity is the most important thing to me so I didn't want any distortion involved.

However all of these problems have been fixed when I hooked up my home theater's Technics SL-P220 cd player in place of my portable one. I no longer have to have the volume setting at half way to maximum in order to get a moderate listening level. I barely have to turn the volume from it's minimum position to get a really nice level!

The Technics SL-P220 is going back to the home theater for right now and I am going to be investing in another one (if I can find one) very soon. I have also noticed a difference in quality versus my portable CD player.

Thanks for your help, by the way...

Matt Schaller

 

[kevin_tomb]

good idea Matt..!!...yeah running the portable CD throught the earphone jack will give distortion. Best to use the "line" output. That will give the best impedance match and output when hooked into a receiver input. Just meant to say power output isnt proportional to volume control level, but it depends on what signal is being fed into amplifier etc. Dont mind helping out someone new..