Are these two compatible?

[John Gavio]

Hello I just signed up for site because I have a question regarding audio components I purchased in 2008 but had to soon thereafter put into storage as I was moved abroad by my employer. I have a Pioneer Elite SX_A9-J amplifier and Focal Chorus 800 V speakers. What I am wondering is whether the amp is underpowering (for lack of a better term) the speakers, because the day my Focal's were delivered I hooked them up, put on Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and during the opening of "Time" I blew the tweeter. I have read that not enough power can, more often than not, blow your speakers. Any help would be much appreciated. Thank you.

 

[markw]

don't believe that about too little power. It's not true.

Now, to speculate on your situation: Small speakers, like tweeters, cannot handle as much power as a larger, more robust speaker such as a woofer, or even midrange. When individual speakers are combined into a system, they may rate it as x watts power handling, say 100 watts, but the woofer may be rated at 100 watts but the tweeter may actually be rated at ten watts or so.

A crossover network takes the music, divides it into several bands, and then sends each respective band to the speaker beat able to handle it. So, at any given time, one speaker can be very active and another virtually silent.

I know that album. I know that song. Very Well. That SACD is one of my demo discs. When those chimes kick in, and they kick in LOUD, they can send a tremendous amount of energy to the tweeters. My $$ are on that was what happened. All that music is concentrated in high frequencies and harmonics and virtually all your amp's available power was sent to that poor tweeter and that was too much for those little guys to handle.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Technically not amp, but a stereo receiver. I couldn't find actual specs, beyond 70W wpc - but dual torodial amp mention tells me this puppy is no slouch. You more likely blew the tweeter due to too much volume, but then again.. what do I know. Did you bi-amp the speakers by chance?

 

[John Gavio]

Thank you very much markw and BoredSysAdmin (no I did not bi-amp), yes I was playing my music very very loud when the mishap happened. I will rest easier now knowing that the stereo receiver I have is not needing to be replaced (not immediately at least), I will think about the merits of replacing it with something better in time. Again thank you both for responding to my post and helping this poor ignorant fool with your insight. Much obliged.