Can speakers be under powered?

[Sounds Good]

I was moving one of my tower speakers and read the label on the back. I noticed the power range was 75-340watts.

I am powering it with 50watts. I am guessing it's not doing any damage, but could I be missing out on detail and bass output at low volume levels?

It is in a 2ch set up with a Emotiva integrated amp

 

[KenM10759]

Does it sound good to you? That's all you need to be concerned about because it's all that matters.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep as long as it's loud enough for ya without distortion/clipping your amp is fine.

Speakers don't have "power ranges" either, they have useful ranges of what power they can handle, whether that range tells you anything useful is another matter. Look at the speaker's sensitivity rating for a more meaningful representation of how loud it gets with a given amount of power and then factor in distance from the speaker to get an idea of what sort of amp power you use. Use an spl calculator to help approximate it. The "max" continuous power rating for a speaker is often simply a melting point and not indicative of how good it will actually sound given that much power.

The volume control is your best bet on making sure you don't damage your speakers....if it sounds bad turn it down.

 

[KenM10759]

Just curious but what speakers are they? Are they labeled as to what the sensitivity rating might be?

It's likely a medium to low sensitivity spec if the recommended power is minimum 75 watts per channel. No matter because most Emotiva amps can "overachieve."

 

[MR.MAGOO]

Yep as long as it's loud enough for ya without distortion/clipping your amp is fine.

Speakers don't have "power ranges" either, they have useful ranges of what power they can handle, whether that range tells you anything useful is another matter. Look at the speaker's sensitivity rating for a more meaningful representation of how loud it gets with a given amount of power and then factor in distance from the speaker to get an idea of what sort of amp power you use. Use an spl calculator to help approximate it. The "max" continuous power rating for a speaker is often simply a melting point and not indicative of how good it will actually sound given that much power.

The volume control is your best bet on making sure you don't damage your speakers....if it sounds bad turn it down.

Is an "spl calculator" the same as a digital sound level meter?

 

[shadyJ]

Is an "spl calculator" the same as a digital sound level meter?

That is an SPL calibrator. It is used to calibrate SPL meters and microphones, to make sure they are reading sound pressure levels correctly.

 

[lovinthehd]

Is an "spl calculator" the same as a digital sound level meter?

SPL meter is different (and an spl meter can be analog or digital), I added a link to a popular spl calculator in my post....

 

[Sounds Good]

Just curious but what speakers are they? Are they labeled as to what the sensitivity rating might be?

It's likely a medium to low sensitivity spec if the recommended power is minimum 75 watts per channel. No matter because most Emotiva amps can "overachieve."

SVS Sts01 towers. They are 90db and 6ohm.


They sound great to me. Just very lacking in the low end department. Just was wondering if it was user error.

 

[KenM10759]

I'm not the expert that many others here are but my understanding is that when volume is low it's the low frequencies that need a little boost and the highs a little trim. This may be why features in modern receivers and pre-processors have "dynamic equalization", which alters the response curves as volume changes. In older units we had a button on the front marked "loudness."

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep might need a loudness contour or support of a subwoofer or both for better low end performance.....

 

[mtrycrafts]

SVS Sts01 towers. They are 90db and 6ohm.
They sound great to me. Just very lacking in the low end department. Just was wondering if it was user error.

It has 6" drivers, four of them and for some reason they call it a 2 1/2 way speaker.
No wonder your low end is lacking.
Also, what are you listening to when you come to this conclusion, movies? Music?
How loud do you play the towers at? Or want to?

 

[Sounds Good]

I listen to only music.

A volume level is hard to describe. I am able to have a conversation, maybe a little louder than normal tv listening?

They are repurposed from my HT. Didn't get much use so I ventured into the world of 2ch music.

Eventually I will save money to get some full range towers. Polk 705 and Tekton Pendragons are on my short list.

 

[KenM10759]

A 2-1/2 way speaker isn't bad. Consider the reviews that the PSB Imagine T, KEF Q500/Q700/Q900, Revel F35/F36, and many others in that range get, and are also 2-1/2 way speakers.

I can't figure out what an SVS Sts01 tower speaker is. I can't find any reference to that model number.

 

[Sounds Good]

A 2-1/2 way speaker isn't bad. Consider the reviews that the PSB Imagine T, KEF Q500/Q700/Q900, Revel F35/F36, and many others in that range get, and are also 2-1/2 way speakers.

I can't figure out what an SVS Sts01 tower speaker is. I can't find any reference to that model number.