Hi, I have read "So you want to design your own speaker from scratch!" and want to build one of the kits, either the Classic II or the "Carrera". I have a Yamaha RXV861 receiver which I want to upgrade to a Denon AVR-X 1600H or the 2600H. Would the receiver blow the drivers if turned up too loud (by mistake)? If the drivers power rating are lower than the rated output of the amp (receiver), can something be done?
I don't want to buy a separate amp if I can help it.
Thank you for replying.
Werner
I don't want to buy a separate amp if I can help it.
Thank you for replying.
Werner
If the speakers have a maximum power rating of say 70W and you apply more than 70W to them then you will eventually destroy them.
The amplifier will only output as much power as set by the volume control.
You can apply an attenuator to the input to limit the signal which will have the effect of reducing the output.
In a receiver that might involve fitting a resistor at the top end of the volume pot.
The amplifier will only output as much power as set by the volume control.
You can apply an attenuator to the input to limit the signal which will have the effect of reducing the output.
In a receiver that might involve fitting a resistor at the top end of the volume pot.
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The Yamaha has 115W per channel. The Denon 1600H has 145W per channel, the 2600H has 150W per channel.
Carrera kit has Scan-speak 15/N/8530K00 Woofer, long term max power 110W and OW1 tweeter rated power 100W.
The Classix II has Dayton DC160 woofer power handling RMS 50W, power handling (max) 100W. Tweeter BC25TG15-04 50W.
Don't know how to look up sensitivities. I thought sensitivity is a measure of how well a speaker picks up and reproduces a signal. Maybe I am wrong. Might need to learn a bit more. After I have learned about power handling.
If you were to play music at such deafening levels for long enough to damage the drivers and you were in the same room you would also probably damage your hearing. Fuse the speakers to protect them against an accidental massive overload, otherwise its not an issue in practice.
Sensitivity is how loud out for a given input, usually 1 watt. typically 85-90 dB per watt. So a 100Watt amp would output 105 to 110 dB at continuous max (Decibel Conversion Calculator) (at 1 M) which is a) very loud and b) will damage your hearing pretty quickly (Hearing loss and deafness: Normal hearing and impaired hearing - InformedHealth.org - NCBI Bookshelf
What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? | NCEH | CDC)
Sensitivity is how loud out for a given input, usually 1 watt. typically 85-90 dB per watt. So a 100Watt amp would output 105 to 110 dB at continuous max (Decibel Conversion Calculator) (at 1 M) which is a) very loud and b) will damage your hearing pretty quickly (Hearing loss and deafness: Normal hearing and impaired hearing - InformedHealth.org - NCBI Bookshelf
What Noises Cause Hearing Loss? | NCEH | CDC)
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Thank you for the explanation Demian. My wife sometimes falls asleep with the remote in her hand and touches the volume button, we both are asleep and jump out of our skins it gets so loud. From your explanation, I could do three things. One, bar the wife from holding the remote. Haven't got a hope in hell doing that. Two, fuse the speakers. I will look up on how to do this. Would it influence the quality of the sound? Three, do nothing and hope the speakers don't blow.
Based on my current knowledge, I am leaning towards fusing the speakers. What would you think, keeping in mind that things happen.
Fuses are cheap and work. Sometimes a small cost in sound quality but usually not significant. I would start with a 1A slow blow fuse on each speaker. If they do blow on normally loud but not "stupid loud" music go up to 1 1/2 A. Its a cut and try effort. The slow blow fuse will not blow on a quick transient but will open when the speakers are heating up as well.
Thank you for the solution and for thinking ahead of what I needed to know, what kind of fuse and what amps.
Eminence Uses aviation light bulbs in their crossovers
Chinese PA speakers use mosfets to shunt power.
Others use poly-switches for protecting the tweeters.
Fuses are too slow for protecting tweeters.
Then there are people who state the amp power should be twice the speaker's power, because what blows speakers is distortion.
An amp will distort when at onset of power rating, despite the speaker connected to it could be the same power or slightly more powered.
Use a sound compressor !! Calibrate it so that the amp never exceeds the power rating of the speakers. Of course You will notice the slap in audio when it begins to compress...
That's what the pro's use on live concerts.
Chinese PA speakers use mosfets to shunt power.
Others use poly-switches for protecting the tweeters.
Fuses are too slow for protecting tweeters.
Then there are people who state the amp power should be twice the speaker's power, because what blows speakers is distortion.
An amp will distort when at onset of power rating, despite the speaker connected to it could be the same power or slightly more powered.
Use a sound compressor !! Calibrate it so that the amp never exceeds the power rating of the speakers. Of course You will notice the slap in audio when it begins to compress...
That's what the pro's use on live concerts.
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