newb amplifier question

[lazybum 10+ year member]

I have speakers that are 100 watts rms but is it ok to power them using an amp that pumps out 50 watts rms? Would that overheat the amp and cause it to fail?

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[Beat_Dominator 5,000+ posts]

Yes it is fine.

No it cannot harm the amp.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

You cannot damage loudspeakers by underpowering them. Won't happen.

 

[lazybum 10+ year member]

Doesn't running an amp at 100% sometimes cause heat issues therefore causing a damaged amp?

Are there any negatives with underpowering speakers besides how loud they can get?

 

[Justin Thibert 10+ year member]

Doesn't running an amp at 100% sometimes cause heat issues therefore causing a damaged amp?
Are there any negatives with underpowering speakers besides how loud they can get?

Just dont run it at 100% like keep the GAIN down for sure!! They still should sound good.... And you amp should be properly cooled...

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

As long as the amp is driving an impedance for which it's stable, and it's not clipping, I don't see a problem with it...unless you have other install factors (like a hot trunk, buried in an amp rack) where you'd need fans or something. It's never really a good idea to run things to their limits, unless you're competing of course.

Are there any negatives with underpowering speakers besides how loud they can get?

Nope. I've run 1.8 watts to speakers rated for 100...trust me, as long as the signal isn't clipped, there isn't a bit of damage that could come to the loudspeaker.

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

As long as the amp is driving an impedance for which it's stable, and it's not clipping, I don't see a problem with it...unless you have other install factors (like a hot trunk, buried in an amp rack) where you'd need fans or something. It's never really a good idea to run things to their limits, unless you're competing of course.


Nope. I've run 1.8 watts to speakers rated for 100...trust me, as long as the signal isn't clipped, there isn't a bit of damage that could come to the loudspeaker.

hmm.. i thought you could but i guess i was wrong... i know a guy who ran 90, yes 90, watts to a 750rms sub and he said it wangs... :/ so i guess it's better to get a sub that's rms is a bit more than you want to run to it...

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

i know a guy who ran 90, yes 90, watts to a 750rms sub and he said it wangs... :/

Depending on the enclosure, he might be right. 90W to a sub in a folded horn or aperiodic bichamber would probably wang quite nicely.

 

[psych0ticnemes1 5,000+ posts]

interesting...