Amplifier current vrs watts; why is current more important?


Lately when talking to knowledgeable people in the audio industry I’ve been hearing how current delivery is more important than watts in determining weather an amplifier will drive a speaker.
So what exactly is current and how does it effect speaker performance? How can a amplifier rated at 150 watts into 8 ohms vs one rated at 400 watts into 8 ohms be a better match for a hard to drive speaker?
hiendmmoe
hiendmmoe

Showing 1 response by pushpull

In a simple DC circuit, Amps = Volts/Resistance. Watts = Volts X AmpsUsing the water analogy, Voltage is the pressure pushing the water thru the pipe, Amperes,(current) is the volume of water & Resistance is the size of the pipe restricting flow. When you introduce AC current with coils, capacitors & such things get much more mathematically complicated, as the previous posts outline. Thank Heaven for the brilliant engineers who design our great gear.