calculating max speaker power handling

[barada83]

I've looked everywhere I can think of for info on how to calculate the max power handling of a speaker. Does anyone know how or is this not usually done/important in DIY audio?

[Cal Weldon]

Are you taliking a completed system or just one driver?

[badman]

It's usually not done/important. If you're getting near the power handling limits of a driver, you're generally pushing it very hard, and that's not something that most diyers like to do- better to go with enough speaker for the output, than try to squeeze 100dB @ 50Hz out of a 6.5".

There's something to be said for the high xmax/linear motor stuff (XBL^2 and other topologies), but they'll still have worse performance when really pushed than when operating at moderate xmax.

If you're approaching power handling limits, then thermal artifacts will be well into the ugly range. It's my opinion that given the highly dynamic nature of music signals, it's often the case that artifacts are audible at significantly lower RMS volumes than commonplace standards would dictate.

Headroom is a beautiful thing.

[exhausted mule]

as a rough estimate i've read in a few articles and posts done by diyer's here that your usually going to be inputing around a 40-40-20 percentage per watt for the woofer, mid and tweeter.


rough estimate of course since different combinations of drivers and crossovers would differ slightly but you get the idea...



your tweeter voice coil will usually be the first to burn since its the most susceptable to distortion from the amp and that is your most common reason behind a speaker wattage rating.


of course i'm just speculating and this should taken with a grain of salt.


badman explained it well beyond putting the amp into play.

[richie00boy]

Run a simulation plotting excursion against frequency. Cross check that against the thermal power (watts) required to reach the excursion limit and check it's within your drivers specified rating.