Most people love using their speakers with the amplifier. The purpose of the AMP is to increase the sound that comes from the speaker. It also helps a great deal to help in sound balancing so that there is a distinction between the bass and treble. Thus, should a Speaker Wattage be higher than the AMP wattage?
The speaker wattage (power rating) should be approximately half as much amplifier (AMP) wattage power. Wattage is one of the measures of speaker sound quality.
However, each speaker has an amplifier that it can support. Some are not compatible, and some are not advisable for use. At this stage, a question arises about the necessity of having a speaker wattage being higher than the AMP wattage.
We will answer the question by tackling several questions that are related to it. Have a look.
Should a Speaker Wattage be Higher than the AMP Wattage?
The speaker wattage (power rating) should be approximately half as much amplifier (AMP) wattage power. Thus, if you are using a speaker is rated at 400 watts, we recommend using an amplifier with a 800 watt rating.
The reason for this is because the more watts you are having will provide more bass, however, this will only happen if the amplifier is able to support the wattage of the speakers that you have.
Thus, an amplifier with a lower wattage will markedly lower the quality of music. You should always aim for more amp power as compared to the speaker power. The more bass that you need will only be possible if the amplifier you’re currently using is insufficiently strong for the speakers you’re using.
The speaker wattage should never be higher than the amp wattage. Otherwise, the speaker is likely to give you the worst listening experience and the amplifier too. The best wattage should maintain two times what the speaker is having.
The amplifier must have a power that is two times the speaker. For instance, a 200 watts speaker works best when the amplifier is 400 watts. In other words, it works best when the wattage is slightly higher.
What if the AMP is twice the power of the speakers?
The first thing you need to understand is that music has highs and lows. When you have many highs and lows, you need an amplifier that will manage them. If you do not use the amplifiers, the highs are likely to damage the speakers if not under control.
It is important to have the amplifier having twice the amount of power that the speaker uses to function. It is helpful because it will allow the amplifier to provide enough power to manage the highs and the lows continuously. Overheating the coil happens when there is no control, which later makes the speaker blow up.
If you use a speaker and the power it consumes is equal to the amplifier’s power, they are likely to overpower each other. They will end up giving you crappy music.
You need to understand the unclipping of peaks when you get an AMP with a higher wattage than the speaker. If you have a speaker of 100W, then the best for the amplifier will be 200W.
What happens if the amp is below the speaker’s wattage?
Speakers have a power rating that makes the functionality better depending on the environment. Coils are responsible for having the speaker functioning and managing the highs and the lows. The chances of having the speaker losing control because of the low amplifier are very high.
The result is that the drivers of the speaker get destroyed because the amp has no control. The voice coils are not exceptional as they also pose a challenge because of the too many highs and lows. Such a problem applies not only to amplifiers with a low wattage but also to those with equal wattage with the speakers.
On the other hand, we may have an amplifier that is not powerful enough. Such an amplifier will make the speaker produce a distorted sound which will also make the quality lower. The speaker will not achieve the highs and the lows without experiencing a challenge.
An underpowered amplifier will cause damage to the speaker coils and the drivers because of a lack of consistency in sound production. Managing the dynamics will be another serious challenge that you will not have an easy time balancing.
High wattage amplifier effects on the speaker
There is a thought that many people feel that a higher wattage amplifier will damage the speaker. This is not so much a problem with a speaker as it will consume the power it needs for proper functioning. Your speaker will manage the changes that come with the effects, be they the highs and the lows.
There is a feeling that the amplifier will force the power on the speaker. However, the speaker picks the amount it needs from the amplifier to manage the transitions and the changes that come along with the dynamics.
It is dangerous to have a speaker demanding power that the amplifier cannot accommodate or manage.
It also matters how you have the speaker connecting to the amplifier. Some connections are likely to cause a problem of the power consumption from the amplifier to the speaker. Parallel connections are, in this case, essential as they will make the process of power flow effective.
Challenges of the surround speakers
Surround speakers are known for posing a challenge when it comes to managing the functionality of the speaker. When using the surround speakers, the amplifier’s wattage must be twice the wattage of the speakers or even more.
The issue of channels arises at this point as each channel has to have a slightly higher rate than the speakers. If you add multiple speakers, the amplifier must be strong enough to make the speakers work.
Having each speaker connecting independently makes it easier to have each speaker managing the functionalities without a hassle. There should be enough wattage by the amplifier to use the exact amount of power the amplifier needs for individual functionality.
Do speakers need more power to sound better?
There is no direct relation between the speaker’s power to produce sound and its actual performance. Each speaker has a wattage that it will work conveniently with. However, for the best outcome, the power available to run the amplifier must be very high.
The power requirements for your speaker depends on on your listening habits and your speaker’s efficiency. Thus even though your amp wattage should be double the speaker wattage, some people do not care about power that much.
You have an assurance that there is more than enough for the speaker to use. Clipping and sound distortion are things that adequate wattage will help to manage. When the sound is too high or too low, you will still have the speaker performing better than you expect.
200 watts adequacy for bass
Bass is a sound that plays under the lows. There is an argument that bass sounds bad when the amplifier has a smaller wattage. Thus, if you have a 400 watts for your 200 watts speaker, then the bass will be adequate.
So, it is easier to assume that 200 or 300 Watts is too much for the bass. However, 200 or 300 watts is better for bass so long as the amplifier controls are working effectively.
You also need to know that bass sounds better when you have to balance between it and the other sounds. At a level of 200, the speaker can manage the balancing and deliver the best sound quality. You will easily make changes to the sound and adjust the bass levels.
Amplifier has too much power
If your amplifier has too much power, then it will overpower the speaker too. This means that the amount of wattage available makes the speaker consume as much as it demands. When there is a high volume, the speaker produces a sound that has some distortion.
Unlike the past generation speakers, the modern speakers have the safety measures that protect them. It is possible to have the speaker managing the power that the amplifier releases.
Another thing that is likely to happen is that the speaker cones will have an abnormal movement. After some time, the amp will cause some damage to the speaker coils.
It is important to ensure that you have limited the amplifier so that the speaker does not over-pick the sound. This gives an assurance that the sound quality you will get is excellent. You will create a balance between the speaker and the amp to get the average that you will be operating and working with.
Is there too much wattage for the speaker?
The amount of sound you want determines the right wattage for your speaker. If you want too much bass, you have to get the balance you need for effective functioning. Your habits determine the listening efficiency and the amount that the speaker needs to deliver.
There is not too much wattage for the modern speaker. That is because damage is highly unlikely even if the speaker’s wattage is overwhelmed by the amplifier’s wattage. However, if there is more electrical energy being produced by the amplifier than the speaker can handle, it may cause distortion of the music or clipping.
Anything above 90deb for music is adequate and will need a speaker that will deliver 200 Watts. If you love light music such as classical music, you can use an amplifier that manages 50 watts. The best way to do the test is by using the different impedance and then get the power that will suit the speaker best.
Can you change the speaker’s impedance?
The impedance of a speaker can keep changing so that it meets the needs of a better being. Adding a power resistor is another thing that will make the management process simpler and convenient.
To avoid the risk of damage, you have to look at the impedance and increase it until the amplifier dissipates.
The impedance should be double the amount of wattage the speaker needs. You have a chance to increase the power rating to meet the specific needs that you need to meet. You can choose to add a resistor that has an impedance of slightly higher than the AMP.
Conclusion
An amplifier must have a wattage that is higher than the speaker. The reason is that the speaker will pick the amount of wattage that it needs to function properly.
Thus, we recommend getting an amplifier that can deliver twice the wattage as your speaker wattage rating. If the wattage is lower than the speaker’s one, the speaker’s functionality will experience a challenge.
The use of a very high wattage amplifier on a low wattage speaker can lead to distortion of the music or clipping. Therefore, it is recommended that you pick the amplifier that will be approximately twice in wattage as compared to the speaker.
Sources
https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/whats-up-with-watts-how-many-watts-do-you-need/
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/importance-wattage-choosing-pa-speakers/
