Quick question: hook 300wpc amp to efficient 200w RMS speakers safely?

[audiodogster]

So I am taking some equipment into the studio at my school to test. I have my Genelec 8050As, some Cerwin Vega CV118 subs, and a Samson SX1200 amp (class AB). As everything in that environment uses XLR connectors and the Samson outputs to normal binding posts, I need to bring along some speakers to test the amp with. The question would be can I safely have my Klipsch La Scalas hooked up to this amp and have the amp's volume dials turned way down to test the amp? The La Scalas can take 200 watts at 8 ohm but with a SPL of 104 dB at 1 watt at 1 meter, I'd probably be having hearing damage before I get to 50 watts. The amp is 300wpc at 8 ohm. The other option would be to take long my Martin Logan Theater center channel that is up to 500w RMS at 4 ohm, but it has crushed tweeters and I don't know if that could cause more damage to the speaker or the amp. I could also take my Monitor Audio Studio 6 which are 200 watts at 8 ohm. I just don't want to damage anything including my hearing.

 

[swechsler]

Yes, you will not be sending anywhere near 300 watts to the speakers. Even at high volumes, you won't be using much. That 300 watts is for peaks - if you were listening to a steady 300 watts you'd be clipping constantly. I'm sure the La Scalas could handle momentary 300 watt peaks. I'm also sure your ears couldn't if they were anywhere near the La Scalas at the time.

To summarize: speaker power handling numbers are just about meaningless. There is no standard for them. If you use common sense and don't turn it up to 11, you can connect just about any good quality speaker to the most powerful consumer amp you can find without trouble (assuming you're not using it for sound reinforcement).

 

[4-2-7]

The question would be can I safely have my Klipsch La Scalas hooked up to this amp and have the amp's volume dials turned way down to test the amp? The La Scalas can take 200 watts at 8 ohm but with a SPL of 104 dB at 1 watt at 1 meter, I'd probably be having hearing damage before I get to 50 watts. The amp is 300wpc at 8 ohm.

Personally I think you will hear the La Scalas sound better than you ever have heard them before. Ferm believer in having more power than the speaker rating at least by 50 watts for head room for transient peaks in the music. You'll also have power and speed for the woofer to control it, bass response will be a vast improvement at all volume levels, don't think you'll be needing the sub anymore.

Oh and you can hit them hard if they are in good shape, you don't have to worry about any clipping because you have power in reserve, the speaker will let you know when it has to much power, in the form of distortion.

 

[Ken Boyd]

I am skipping this day!

 

[4-2-7]

I am skipping this day!

I want to go
It reminds me of my SP-5000 90w 102db, getting hit with my mc275 mono blocked @ 180wpc, all 180w
I'll bring some Muddy Waters, Sarah Mclachlan, SRV, The Nug

 

[audiodogster]

Oh and you can hit them hard if they are in good shape, you don't have to worry about any clipping because you have power in reserve, the speaker will let you know when it has to much power, in the form of distortion.

I'm pretty sure these would cause our old music building to collapse before they distorted. If I run them at the same time as the CV118s, it'll be very special.

 

[4-2-7]

I'm pretty sure these would cause our old music building to collapse before they distorted. If I run them at the same time as the CV118s, it'll be very special.

It will sound like a 800watt system, but really I for the longest time had the setup I posted above. It was and still is the best over all performance I have ever had form my system, you want to rock that will do it.

 

[Ken Boyd]

I value my hearing!