lm3886 power output question

[tuffstuff]

I'm seriously considering building a LM3886 stereo amp for my studio. I'm curious about the power output. Correct me if I'm wrong, it seems like the chip is rated for 64 watts, give or take, depending on speaker impedance and input voltage. The speakers I want to use it with are 200 watt 8 ohm speakers. Will this chip provide the power I need to make these speakers bump?

It seems a bit short on the wattage, but don't know a whole lot about homemade amps, so I'm not convinced I need a more powerful chip. Any suggestions or other information would be appreciate.

Thanks.

[Tekko]

The speakers ratings are the maximum power it can take before it falls apart and catches fire and burns down.

You will find that even a few watts will be ear bleedingly loud, so yes a LM3886 is more than enough to make any speaker go insanely loud.

[Michael Bean]

Stupid speaker "power ratings" aside, what matters is the efficiency rating of the speakers. Generally speaking, if your speakers are at least 90-95 dB/watt/meters efficient it will get pretty loud, but that depends a lot on room size and layout, the kind of music you listen to, how much distortion you find acceptable, and of corse what you personally consider to be loud.

Mike

[abraxalito]

Originally Posted by tuffstuff

The speakers I want to use it with are 200 watt 8 ohm speakers. Will this chip provide the power I need to make these speakers bump?

You'd do better to tell us a bit about the speakers' physical construction. What size drive units are in it? Also are you planning to use the 3886 to activate them? That means chucking out the passive crossover and building an active one, using more than one 3886. If you're really concerned about going loud, then active is the way to go for sure - that's what the pros use.

[tuffstuff]

That's good news about the bleeding, Tekko!

The speakers are older Technics passive speakers and were design as general purpose home theater use. They have a 6 to 8 inch sub, a 3-ish inch mid, and a tweeter. I want to use the LM3886 as an stereo amp for them, as well as a general purpose amp for other projects as needed.

I hadn't thought about using this chip to build active speakers! How cool is that?! What size drivers would be reasonable for this chip built in as part of an active speaker?

Thanks for the reassurance about the chip. I'm going to go for it see what happens. Maybe its best to start with a kit and then work a custom bridged amp later on.