Amp channel power for 3-way speaker

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Hi guys,

I want to go with a 4x100RMS amp to power 3-way Front and 2-way rear via passive crossovers.

Power rating of the front 3-way speaker:
Midwoof: 100W@4Ohm 90dB
Mid: 40W@4Ohm 93dB (2" speaker, the car is '95 BMW E34 with Hi-Fi option)
Tweet: 100W@4Ohm 91dB

Rear is the same minus mids.

The exact amplifier I'm thinking about is HELIX M FOUR DSP, 3 ways are HELIX P 63C.

Will this amp be enough or should I be looking at 150-200RMS amps?

The other amplifier I consider is a 6-channel STEG SDSP 6, 6x100RMS, will this be a better choice for the 3-way I'm considering? Both amps have 10 channel DSP, but I believe that Audiotech-Fischer has a better unit?
 
diyAudio Member
Joined 2007
I've got 4 amps, 3 * 150w and the last at about 200w
Tri or quad amping.
Honestly I could use about half that and it would still be plenty as I usually listen at about 10 to 12 watt peaks, just enough power to make the Vifa drivers "sing" and that is bordering on too loud at 101dB, 5 watts gives me about 96dB.
 
Hi guys,

I want to go with a 4x100RMS amp to power 3-way Front and 2-way rear via passive crossovers.

Power rating of the front 3-way speaker:
Midwoof: 100W@4Ohm 90dB
Mid: 40W@4Ohm 93dB (2" speaker, the car is '95 BMW E34 with Hi-Fi option)
Tweet: 100W@4Ohm 91dB

Assuming 6dB of baffle step compensation, with 100W, you should be able to reach somewhere louder than 'too loud,' but not really to rock concert/dance club 'can barely hear people yelling at me from 3 feet away' levels.

Most people would be perfectly happy with a 30W mini-amp.
 
I listen to classical, at about 1/4 W base level. 1 Vpp on 8 ohms.
I have 70 w/ch for 72 db peaks off the CD. My ST120 amp is good for that for 5 seconds at a time with only one pair output transistors.
I had 101 db 1w1m speakers at those levels.
If you know anything about a piano, you will be underwhelmed with 30 w/ch. 35 w/ch was okay for 1970, but I like double that now, for crisp hammer hits of a Steinway grand. Then there is always the cannon shot in 1812 Overture. Unfortunately the only sources of that I have are LP, with 55 db S/N. Recording engineer rode the gain on that, even the Mercury Living Presence LP. I'm always disappointed when I hear the strings get softer on an orchestra performance, when the brass jumps in. Bad engineering. Of course pop music, you're lucky if you get 15 db dynamic range.
 
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