Does power affect sound quality?

[Exiled 10+ year member]

Please forgive me for this n00bish question, I have looked everywhere I can think of and still can not find my answer. I don't know, maybe I am searching with the wrong working- I hope you guys can shed some light on the subject for me.

Does power output effect sound quality and loudness, or just loudness? (referring to cabin speakers: 5.25,6.5,6x9...)

For insance, say you have a 150rms speaker and you give it 50 watts, how does that effect sound quality at a normal volume-and what if you turn the volume all the way up?

Same question, but with 150watts and with 200watts?

Click to read more...

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

Does a foot 50 pound bag of flour make a very large biscuit?

 

---------- Post added at 12:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:43 PM ----------

 

Sorry short more power a =more control

 

[legendndisguise 10+ year member]

Mmmmm biscuits...

 

[murph 10+ year member]

underpowering speakers is a bad thing to do. Can't turn it up too loud their performance will be sub-par. Why would you buy powerful components/coaxials and not be able to power them?

 

[kramer_212 10+ year member]

Mmmmm biscuits...

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/santa.gif.e1ec9cf2e0a0dd232ad35aa594a126d0.gif

 

[ahole-ic]

underpowering speakers is a bad thing to do. Can't turn it up too loud their performance will be sub-par. Why would you buy monster component/coaxials and not be able to power them?

That doesn't even make sense.

 

[murph 10+ year member]

That doesn't even make sense.

yeah my wording is a little confusing but you catch my drift... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

 

[ahole-ic]

yeah my wording is a little confusing but you catch my drift... //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/naughty.gif.94359f346c0f1259df8038d60b41863e.gif

No. It was totally incorrect. Not giving a speaker of any kind its rated maximum is just fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

 

[murph 10+ year member]

No. It was totally incorrect. Not giving a speaker of any kind its rated maximum is just fine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it.

I was not saying its maximum I was talking about rms... and giving a speaker half or less of its rms does affect the quality of what you get out of it...

 

[05trailblazer 10+ year member]

heard there wasnt such thing as undepowering a speaker/sub and get damage or affect it in any way.

 

[ahole-ic]

I was not saying its maximum I was talking about rms... and giving a speaker half or less of its rms does affect the quality of what you get out of it...

Does it effect the sound quality? Sure. It will sound BETTER with less power and distortion. You simply don't know what you are talking about.

 

---------- Post added at 12:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:58 PM ----------

 

heard there wasnt such thing as undepowering a speaker/sub and get damage or affect it in any way.

That's true.

 

[murph 10+ year member]

heard there wasnt such thing as undepowering a speaker/sub and get damage or affect it in any way.

you can underpower them lol there is no damage though if it is a clean signal/power but like a subwoofer you give it half of its rms do you really think it will perform at its best?

 

[murph 10+ year member]

Does it effect the sound quality? Sure. It will sound BETTER with less power and distortion. You simply don't know what you are talking about. 

Well with my experience in speakers the re xxx components in my friends car do not sound very good until near or above their rms and my friends type r's although they are pretty harsh sounded much worse before they got some decent power going to them. You will have your opinions but I listen to my music loud often and you probably don't if you are calling me wrong.

 

[ahole-ic]

you can underpower them lol there is no damage though if it is a clean signal/power but like a subwoofer you give it half of its rms do you really think it will perform at its best?

So what you're saying is, is that everyone should at all times give a woofer it's maximum continuous power(rms) because the woofer might have a little left in the tank? Why does that seem like a coherent thought to you? Did this guy ask what the best way to achieve maximum spl was? No. At most, doubling the applied power can increase spl by 3db. In most cases it is significantly less than that. Your ear cannot perceive the difference and it is much harder on the amp and woofer. So, in your summation why is what you're suggesting a sound thought?

 

[murph 10+ year member]

So what you're saying is, is that everyone should at all times give a woofer it's maximum continuous power(rms) because the woofer might have a little left in the tank? Why does that seem like a coherent thought to you? Did this guy ask what the best way to achieve maximum spl was? No. At most, doubling the applied power can increase spl by 3db. In most cases it is significantly less than that. Your ear cannot perceive the difference and it is much harder on the amp and woofer. So, in your summation why is what you're suggesting a sound thought?

This is my last response and with subwoofers its a whole different story. For example I give me dc xl 800 rms and then bump up to 1500rms there is no way in hell it will only change by 3db. I'm giving it 1300-1400 right now and it does not move very much, wth do you think would happen with less it would sound better and perform better?