Can I exceed the speaker's max wattage?

[mr-ben]

I'm considering getting a power amp at somepoint in the future, and I'd like to know what my options are. My main speakers have a label on the back stating that they are rated to accept 200 Watts max, while the others are rated to accept 150 Watts. I'm thinking of getting a nice 7-channel Emotive/Outlaw/etc power amplifier, and using my existing receiver as the preamp for a while. The speakers are very efficient, so I imagine the amp won't be anywhere near its limit before it's too loud. My question relates to the power handling - if I purchase a 200 Watt/channel amp, is there a danger of harming the speakers that aren't rated for that? Also, if I bi-amp my main speakers, is there 400 Watts there to damage the 200 Watt speaker? Should I just stick to the 100-150 range?

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker wattage

Ben,
You will be fine with the new Emotiva or Outlaw amp. Your Klipsch speakers have a perticularly high sensitivity (play louder w/ less power).

Your new amp will drive the speakers to distortion and ear damaging volume levels in any reasonable size HT room well before you hit the power limit of the amp. Also, most speakers are damaged by the amp going into cliping due to lack of power vs. having too much power.

 

[wire]

I'm considering getting a power amp at somepoint in the future, and I'd like to know what my options are. My main speakers have a label on the back stating that they are rated to accept 200 Watts max, while the others are rated to accept 150 Watts. I'm thinking of getting a nice 7-channel Emotive/Outlaw/etc power amplifier, and using my existing receiver as the preamp for a while. The speakers are very efficient, so I imagine the amp won't be anywhere near its limit before it's too loud. My question relates to the power handling - if I purchase a 200 Watt/channel amp, is there a danger of harming the speakers that aren't rated for that? Also, if I bi-amp my main speakers, is there 400 Watts there to damage the 200 Watt speaker? Should I just stick to the 100-150 range?

You willbe fine , its better to have more power than less ( less power you can clip your speakers ) , no matter what your speakers say . The more power (non clipped power or clean) the better .
I say go for the Power Amp you will love it and your speakers will love it .

 

[mr-ben]

Thank you both very much. I figured that even if the amp can put out 200 watts, that at the low volumes it wouldn't be using anywhere near that. I like the idea of the higher wattage to stay far away from the limits of the amp, compared to the 105 I use now. I just don't want to damage anything.

 

[MDS]

While it is true that more damge is done using a low powered amp driven into clipping, don't take the 'high power is better than low power' too literally.

If you take that 200 wpc amp driven hard so it is actually producing high power and use it to drive speakers that are only rated to 40-50 watts, it will blow those speakers.

 

[jake5717]

Possible hi-jack (Sorry)

I NEVER play my system loud or anywhere close to it. Could this potentially be bad for my speakers?

 

[MDS]

Possible hi-jack (Sorry)

I NEVER play my system loud or anywhere close to it. Could this potentially be bad for my speakers?

Of course not.

 

[mtrycrafts]

While it is true that more damge is done using a low powered amp driven into clipping, don't take the 'high power is better than low power' too literally.

If you take that 200 wpc amp driven hard so it is actually producing high power and use it to drive speakers that are only rated to 40-50 watts, it will blow those speakers.

Exactly. And the tweeters are usually rated for much less and that goes first. When you clip, the RMS power is increasing to 2X of itself, hence tweeters get more power and it smokes. In the end, it is the power that smokes speakers, not signal types.

 

[Davemcc]

In the end, it is the power that smokes speakers, not signal types.

This hasn't been my experience. I used to regularly drive my Sansui SPZ-7 speakers with my Bryston 4B until the amp was just barely clipping on the peaks. and these speakers would take everything the Bryston had. When I lost that system following my divorce, I picked up a weak Technics SA-EX500 surround receiver and blew drivers in those same speakers on at least two occasions without ever getting very loud.

I would suggest that the easily clipped Technics' rated 100wpc did more damage than the more stable Bryston's measured 275wpc.

 

[highfihoney]

This hasn't been my experience. I used to regularly drive my Sansui SPZ-7 speakers with my Bryston 4B until the amp was just barely clipping on the peaks. and these speakers would take everything the Bryston had. When I lost that system following my divorce, I picked up a weak Technics SA-EX500 surround receiver and blew drivers in those same speakers on at least two occasions without ever getting very loud.

I would suggest that the easily clipped Technics' rated 100wpc did more damage than the more stable Bryston's measured 275wpc.

Your experience's echo mine,junk (unstable) weak amps will crush speakers fast while good high power amps will drive the holy crap out of them on a daily basis with no problemo.

Speaker ratings (max wattage) are useless as long as your using excellent amps.

 

[wire]

This hasn't been my experience. I used to regularly drive my Sansui SPZ-7 speakers with my Bryston 4B until the amp was just barely clipping on the peaks. and these speakers would take everything the Bryston had. When I lost that system following my divorce, I picked up a weak Technics SA-EX500 surround receiver and blew drivers in those same speakers on at least two occasions without ever getting very loud.

I would suggest that the easily clipped Technics' rated 100wpc did more damage than the more stable Bryston's measured 275wpc.

In total agreement . I ran 100 watt speakers on my 4b for about 5 years while in a smaller place and ran them hard at times ( i would make those green lights turn red ) and now im using them in my room with a tube amp , never had driver problems and i was 2 1/2 X's there max power rating .
Ben Dont worry , your speakers will love the Power Amp , it might even bring them to life .

 

[dave1490]

Your experience's echo mine,junk (unstable) weak amps will crush speakers fast while good high power amps will drive the holy crap out of them on a daily basis with no problemo.

Speaker ratings (max wattage) are useless as long as your using excellent amps.

25% more then the speakers are rated for is fine,my experience has been that the roled edge has ripped off.uncentering the cone.

 

[markw]

As everyone said, it shouldn't be a problem but you must still use common sense.

If it starts to sounnd fuzzy, dirty or in any way "wrong", then turn it down immediately. Something is being stressed beyond it's limits and is complaining.

IMNSHO, that's rule one in audio.

That being said, I drive a pair of tiny minimus 7's with a Marantz 2270 with a bit of bass boost daily by following that rule.

FWIW, my rule two is to always power down everything when I'm kerfutzing with speaker cables or interconnects. Both are cheap insurance.