Amp output versus Speaker imput


If I have an amplifier that is rated at 350 watts output - which I want to keep, does that limit me to speakers that have a recommended amplification of over 350 watts?

I'm in the market for new speakers and there are some I fancy but have a lower recommended amplification that what my amplifier is rated at. Do I discard these speakers or could I play them on my system but not turn up the volume too much. Or given the size of the room concentrate on high amplification speakers. I am budgeting about $16,000 to $20,000 for them.

My listening room is 31' by 10' for 14' then widens out to 15' for the remaining 17'. The speakers are placed in the narrow end of the room. I listen mainly to classical music.

Are there any recommendations that anyone might have on what speakers might be compatible?

Would truly appreciate anyone's input.

Thanks in advance
shiprepair

Showing 1 response by mlsstl

This is an imperfect analogy, but an ordinary 15 amp wall socket can deliver 1800 watts of power. Yet no one worries about plugging in a clock radio that only needs 25 watts of power.

Speakers are slightly different in that you can turn up the volume control to "push" more power to the speaker than it can handle.

However, that only becomes an issue if you listen at extremely loud volumes with a speaker that is not designed to deliver high volumes.

So question number one would be, how loud do you listen? Many people only listen in the 70 to 90 dB range. We're talking average volume, not the momentary peaks that dynamic music contains. (If you don't have one, spend $50 on a Radio Shack sound level meter. It is very handy for getting a better idea of your listening habits.)

If you are in the above category, even an inefficient speaker will be safe to use with your amp as you'll never be sending anything like 350 watts to it.

If you listen in the 95, 100 dB or higher range and have an inefficient speaker, the level of concern goes up. At that point the mismatch of speaker to your listening habits can increase the chance of incurring damage. However, the same risk is present with a lower power amp when you try to push a speaker to play at a volume level it really wasn't designed for.

Once you've determined that the speaker you buy is easily capable of producing the playback volume you need, I'd cease any further worry regarding the power issue.