Too little power blows speakers?

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

According to this article on SSA it does:

http://www.soundsolutionsaudio.com/home/index.php/technical-info/35-forum-topics/92-ts-parameters-explained

"Power handling-------------This specification is very important to transducer selection. Obviously, you need to choose a loudspeaker that is capable of handling the input power you are going to provide. By the same token, you can destroy a loudspeaker by using too little power. The ideal situation is to choose a loudspeaker that has the capability of handling more power than you can provide lending some headroom and insurance against thermal failure. To use an automobile as an analogy; you would not buy a car that could only go 55mph if that were the speed you always intended to drive. Generally speaking, the number one contributor to a transducer’s power rating is its ability to release thermal energy. This is affected by several design choices, but most notably voice coil size, magnet size, venting, and the adhesives used in voice coil construction. Larger coil and magnet sizes provide more area for heat to dissipate, while venting allows thermal energy to escape and cooler air to enter the motor structure. Equally important is the ability of the voice coil to handle thermal energy. Eminence is renowned for its use of proprietary adhesives and components that maximize the voice coil’s ability to handle extreme temperatures. Mechanical factors must also be considered when determining power handling. A transducer might be able to handle 1,000W from a thermal perspective, but would fail long before that level was reached from a mechanical issue such as the coil hitting the back plate, the coil coming out of the gap, the cone buckling from too much outward movement, or the spider bottoming on the top plate. The most common cause of such a failure would be asking the speaker to produce more low frequencies than it could mechanically produce at the rated power. Be sure to consider the suggested usable frequency range and the Xmech parameter in conjunction with the power rating to avoid such failures."

I think that someone over there (maybe Denim) may want to see about getting this fixed.

Click to read more...

 

[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

yeah with plenty of clipped signal but under the RMS of a speaker you can ruin it

 

[Lakota 5,000+ posts]

yeah with plenty of clipped signal but under the RMS of a speaker you can ruin it

Ahhh my intention for this thread wasn't to bring up distortion. I've already had e-fights with people trying to explain that distortion isn't as bad for a speaker as they think.

 

[stuckinok 5,000+ posts]

hmmm......

 

[x2o 10+ year member]

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/hide.gif.2d479cfd917eedfe201353b91522ceab.gif

This thread won't end nicely.

 

[bonesninja 5,000+ posts]

the statement itself is not truthful.....assuming its clean power to the loudspeaker

 

[Alpineforever 10+ year member]

That was on SSA? Wonder how their editors haven't caught that yet...

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

I'll let denim know and e-smack Dave. He should know better.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

****, that an old article.

 

[Skip01 5,000+ posts]

http://www.bcae1.com/2ltlpwr.htm

Too Little Power:

As you have probably heard, some people say that too little power can blow speakers. Well... How can I say this... BULL S***

 

Too little power will only cause the maximum output level to be low. Abuse and the defective 'wing nut' (an idiot) connected to the volume control blow speakers with low powered amplifiers. If driving a speaker with low power would cause them to fail, speakers would fail every time you lower the volume on the head unit. I will try to explain what happens when speakers are driven with clipped signals but remember... you get what you pay for. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[ultimate157 5,000+ posts]

yeah with plenty of clipped signal but under the RMS of a speaker you can ruin it

Then its not below the RMS anymore...

A square wave delivers twice the RMS wattage that a sine wave does of equal magnitude and frequency.

 

[Kyle_Keating 10+ year member]

ignoring mechanical issues, heat destroys a speaker which is merely a function of current and time. more current in less time is more risky, its just that simple.

 

[Etac 10+ year member]

it is my belief underpowered speakers cannot be damaged...

even sending a clipped signal below the speakers power ratings should not cause damage, it will just distort and make it sounds like crap.

if underpowering speakers could ruin them, i guess you should never listen to your radio unless its on as loud as it can go because after all, isnt volume 1 "underpowered" compared to level say 30.. which you set your gains/wattage at.. =]

now clipping a signal at or above its power/thermal ratings is a different story. or even sending too much clean power...

if anything, id think your amp would be in more danger than your speakers... pushing it full tilt and sending a clipped signal over a long period of time cant be good..

 

[Skip01 5,000+ posts]

If your sub can take 2000watts rms, you can give it prolly about 500watts of clipped signal all day long with no ill effects

Its just when people get these lower end subs and get it close to the rms and still clip it, ouch ouch happens

 

[dvrmstrng 5,000+ posts]

piss rats