By how much can i overpower speakers with a clean signal?

[DIGIDIGIBOMBO 10+ year member]

Hi, i have 40rms, 4 ohms speakers. Suppose i have a good amp that can provide up to 80rms at 4 ohms. I will use a test tone and the voltage equation....how much can i send, how many maximum clean watts to the speakers? 50,60..?? i will use an oscilloscope to be sure that there is no clipping at 0 dB. so? thx

Click to read more...

 

[jujumantb 10+ year member]

there is no telling really. Manufacturers all rate their speakers a little different. Your best bet would be to listen for distortion and guage it by that.

 

[wlmrs 10+ year member]

there is no telling really. Manufacturers all rate their speakers a little different. Your best bet would be to listen for distortion and guage it by that.

X2

 

[DIGIDIGIBOMBO 10+ year member]

But if my amp can provide a lot more clean rms than the rms rating of my speakers without a clipped signal than they will be no distortion right? distortion occurs when the signal is clipped not when speakers are overpowered, am i right?//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif thx

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

But if my amp can provide a lot more clean rms than the rms rating of my speakers without a clipped signal than they will be no distortion right?

No. The speaker will distort when it starts reaching it limits.

Hell, depending on how they rated the power, how you mounted the speaker and the xover frequency, it's 100% possible to push the speaker into distortion with less than RMS power.

distortion occurs when the signal is clipped not when speakers are overpowered, am i right?

That is one way distortion occurs. But the speaker will distort when you start approaching the speaker's limits.