Determining exact power being sent to your speaker


How does one go about determining the exact amount of power being delivered by the amplifier to the speakers? Let's say the amp delivers 160w/channel at 4ohms (or so the reading materials state anyway) but yet the speaker specs show 120w maximum. My current integrated amp shows the volume
attenuation (dB units) in .5db steps ranging from -100 (min) up to 0.0 (max).

All that said, the concern is when should I be concerned about pushing too much power to the speakers and how I can determine the "Don't turn it up past this number on the display or you will damage the speakers..."
vineman55

Showing 1 response by marakanetz

The exact power delivered to the speaker can only be measured as transient. It's power at particular moment since we're dealing with the signal and not DC. The specified power is mostly measured within the audible frequency bandwidth. The measured power is usualy done against sine wave that gradually goes from most negative to the most positive value. The gap between maximum values called Amplitude. Power measured against Amplitude is called Maximum Power. The specified power is most-likely RMS power which is product of 0.707*Maximum Power. Sound is far more complexed form of signal that less-likely can be represented by meaning of Amplitude, Maximum Power and RMS. To measure power at particular moment delivered to the load you need oscilloscope. The load is also non-linear and complex value that should also be noted. It consists of linear DC Resistance and complex Signal Reactance...

Done that somewhere in the middle of high school...