Can a power amp have too much power, risking damage to a speaker?


I have a McIntosh 402, rated 400 watts continuous per channel. If I use it to drive a pair of Klipshorns or LaScala [specified to handle 100 watts continuous] or similar high-efficiency speakers, do I risk damage to such speakers? 

joelepo

@joelepo glad to hear you are happy with your setup now

I never mesaured it, I should try

@joelepo 

Exactly right- don’t worry unless you really crank it up to hearing injuring levels and beyond.  Congrats on saving your hearing.  

      +1s...to all that mentioned more speakers being damaged by underpowered amps, driven into distortion/clipping, taking out tweeters and: then mids.

       When I had my shoppe, in Winter Park, Florida; that's what I saw the most, having four major colleges, so close by.     Especially: the beginning of the week, after their parties.

        I stocked a variety of Zener diodes and heat sinks, that I made limiters with, to protect 'em and they'd still melt the adhesives (used as witness), at which point: bigger amps were provided.

        Typically: the only woofers that came in and needed reconing or replacement, were from the multitude of musicians, live music venues and the Navy base's E-Club disco (4 Cerwin-Vega 15" 3 ways and two Flame Linear 700s), in the Orlando area.

         I was one of Central Florida's  warranty stations, for Cerwin-Vega, Altec-Lansing, Gollehon, EV and JBL's Pro lines and could offer 24 hour service, for most of those. 

                            Pros like that.  Keeps 'em in business, making music.

          I'd still be there, enjoying that aspect of the hobby, but for a stinking sinkhole, opening up twenty feet from my property. 

                                                 Oh well!    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

                                                    Happy listening!

If you crank up the volume beyond the speaker’s capababilities for an extended period, then you’ll likely blow the speaker. However, typically it’s an underpowered amp that goes into clipping that will destroy the speaker. More power is better, but must be used judiciously.

Rb61 agree. +1. My experience with my Tekton speakers and my Tsakadiris 150 w mono? I got involved so much on the music playing. I crank the volume beyond the speakers limit , I blew the tweeter.So be careful.