Speaker power handling- is it important?

[alec14 10+ year member]

I have a set of 6.5 Memphis M-class up front, and a 6x9 set in the rear. They're 50 watts rms at 4 ohms, and I'm thinking of picking up a RF 2 channel that does 200@2. I know the speakers would be handling double the power, but I've never really messed with speakers much, and was wondering if the power handling on them is extremely important. Any help would be great!

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[alec14 10+ year member]

bump. anybody?

 

[gckless 5,000+ posts]

I have a set of 6.5 Memphis M-class up front, and a 6x9 set in the rear. They're 50 watts rms at 4 ohms, and I'm thinking of picking up a RF 2 channel that does 200@2. I know the speakers would be handling double the power, but I've never really messed with speakers much, and was wondering if the power handling on them is extremely important. Any help would be great!

You don't have to run 200W to them. It's not a switch, 200W or 0W, an amp is a very variable, dynamic, piece of gear. You can either turn the level down for those channels on your head unit, or when you tune gains, just tune them for 60W or something like that. It's never bad to have headroom. Just be smart and recognize when you are approaching the limits of the speakers.

 

[alec14 10+ year member]

You don't have to run 200W to them. It's not a switch, 200W or 0W, an amp is a very variable, dynamic, piece of gear. You can either turn the level down for those channels on your head unit, or when you tune gains, just tune them for 60W or something like that. It's never bad to have headroom. Just be smart and recognize when you are approaching the limits of the speakers.

Okay, thank you! That's what I was hoping to hear, lol

 

[Kingstroker 10+ year member]

Work/energy produces heat. Some claim their speakers can do twice the rating and they probably can for a limited amount of time but then after a while of overheating the voice coil it fails. Easy on the gains and volume and you will be good

 

[alec14 10+ year member]

Work/energy produces heat. Some claim their speakers can do twice the rating and they probably can for a limited amount of time but then after a while of overheating the voice coil it fails. Easy on the gains and volume and you will be good

Okay, good to know. Right now they're being powered by an old school Pioneer 4 channel, and I was just looking to give em a bit more power.

 

[FamousMassacre 10+ year member]

What gckless said is true for subs too. You can have a 5k amp and make it only give out 1000rms.

 

[alec14 10+ year member]

What gckless said is true for subs too. You can have a 5k amp and make it only give out 1000rms.

Okay, good to know. Thanks