safe volume levels for speakers

[Kash]

what's a 'safe' volume level for speakers to handle? say you had speakers where they had a recommended wattage of 20-150 and your receiver was rated at 120W max?

 

[jaxvon]

That's hard to tell. If you can crank it as high as you can stand without hearing distortion, harsh treble, or any noises coming from the speakers that are NOT part of the recording, you're fine. High-quality speakers can really crank.

 

[mtrycrafts]

what's a 'safe' volume level for speakers to handle? say you had speakers where they had a recommended wattage of 20-150 and your receiver was rated at 120W max?

The limiting factor, usually, is your hearing and damage to it by high levels for longer periods.

 

[mulester7]

That's hard to tell. If you can crank it as high as you can stand without hearing distortion, harsh treble, or any noises coming from the speakers that are NOT part of the recording, you're fine. High-quality speakers can really crank.

.....very good answer, Jaxvon, given the question....I would also like to add, if your speakers don't sound really good to you at "moderate" levels, speaker shopping should enter the picture......

 

[Spiffyfast]

Kash PM'd me and asked a question, he was ridiculed at www.avsfourms.com for blowing a set of Polks with his 1015tx.

Kash, explain the whole situation and gets some feedback that will better help you out

 

[Kash]

what can I say... I sort of slowly worked the volume up on them, played them awhile at between -20 to 0db and I was checking how loud it would be outside so I just cranked it full up to +12 and sent a friend out to see if it was really loud outside, apparently stupidly, thinking that if the speakers could handle 150 and the amp put out 120 and it didn't sound distorted or clipping it would be alright but I was wrong because about 45 seconds later (if that) I had blown both the tweeters out of them. He also was surprised it blew because we had no indication it was clipping or anything it sounded fine and it wasn't jet-taking-off-loud either. live and learn. but I guess I'm wondering where a safe region IS on these things, I really don't even understand how the volume works -80 to +12, you have to run it at atleast
-40 to hear anything at about -15 it's at a reasonable listening level where you can still talk over it without raising your voice.

 

[mtrycrafts]

what can I say... I sort of slowly worked the volume up on them, played them awhile at between -20 to 0db and I was checking how loud it would be outside so I just cranked it full up to +12 and sent a friend out to see if it was really loud outside, apparently stupidly, thinking that if the speakers could handle 150 and the amp put out 120 and it didn't sound distorted or clipping it would be alright but I was wrong because about 45 seconds later (if that) I had blown both the tweeters out of them. He also was surprised it blew because we had no indication it was clipping or anything it sounded fine and it wasn't jet-taking-off-loud either. live and learn. but I guess I'm wondering where a safe region IS on these things, I really don't even understand how the volume works -80 to +12, you have to run it at atleast
-40 to hear anything at about -15 it's at a reasonable listening level where you can still talk over it without raising your voice.

Well, yes, tweeters are not the power capable speakers as are the mids of lows. It takes about 10-30 watts and they are gonners.
But, you didnd't even play at reference levels, 0 on the volume, you went beyond it, by a hole bunch so you most likely clipped the hell out of the amps too. No wonder you blew them. You will do that to most speakers tweeters.

 

[mulester7]

so you most likely clipped the hell out of the amps too. No wonder you blew them

.....Mtrycrafts, could this have been a job for, "Captain Slave-Amp"???.....

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Don't listen to anything above 80Db for safety.

And considering tinitus is irreversible, i'm suprised there aren't more warnings on audio equipment.

 

[Khorn]

Check out this link, just input you're applicable figures:

Peak SPL Calculator

 

[Kash]

so what does reference level mean, exactely? at 0 what am I outputting? what does it mean to move it beyond 0 to +3 say, etc

 

[mtrycrafts]

.....Mtrycrafts, could this have been a job for, "Captain Slave-Amp"???.....

Not at all. The tweeter will still get power and over driven just as easilly

 

[mtrycrafts]

so what does reference level mean, exactely? at 0 what am I outputting? what does it mean to move it beyond 0 to +3 say, etc

If 0 is considered the position for reference level on the master volume control on that amp, you will get 105dB spl with a signal that is 0dB full scale.

Going +3 dB beyond, you will demand twice the amp power, and it may be too much for that speaker?