Wattage rating on speakers?

[d-ray657]

I've reached the point where I might know enough to be dangerous. Spend a little time playing with audio equipment and your non-audio friends assume that you are an expert. So tell me if I was blowing smoke . .

My friend said he was looking at a bunch of speakers and told me what the wattage rating on the speakers was. He wanted to know if that rating was good. I told him that the only thing the wattage ratings really mean are the recommended minimum wattage needed to run the speakers, and the maximum recommended wattage to feed them (assuming that they are not powered monitors or subwoofers). If he would get me model numbers and I would find out the efficiency ratings and frequency responses, which is more useful information in terms of what is necessary to run them (for HT 5.1 purposes. Turns out the speakers he got were two B&W DM 601 to match his orphan. He paid $61 for the pair, and he's asking me for advice. :saywhat. I suggested that he look on CL for Denon, Onkyo or HK, probably about 100 watts per channel, modern ratings. (With about a $300 budget for the receiver)

So did I lead him astray?

Regards,

D-Ray

 

[Freezer7Pro]

I think you did quite well. Although 100WPC in 'modern ratings' isn't saying much, since it seems all the entry level HT receivers are rated for 100WPC with one channel driven.

 

[theebadone]

I've reached the point where I might know enough to be dangerous. Spend a little time playing with audio equipment and your non-audio friends assume that you are an expert. So tell me if I was blowing smoke . .

My friend said he was looking at a bunch of speakers and told me what the wattage rating on the speakers was. He wanted to know if that rating was good. I told him that the only thing the wattage ratings really mean are the recommended minimum wattage needed to run the speakers, and the maximum recommended wattage to feed them (assuming that they are not powered monitors or subwoofers). If he would get me model numbers and I would find out the efficiency ratings and frequency responses, which is more useful information in terms of what is necessary to run them (for HT 5.1 purposes. Turns out the speakers he got were two B&W DM 601 to match his orphan. He paid $61 for the pair, and he's asking me for advice. :saywhat. I suggested that he look on CL for Denon, Onkyo or HK, probably about 100 watts per channel, modern ratings. (With about a $300 budget for the receiver)

So did I lead him astray?

Regards,

D-Ray

Dang, that's a nice find.

 

[gatorvrx]

My choice for HT recievers in the mass market is Marantz or Yamaha. I own both, and they drive a 7.1 or 5.1 system nicely. You can also go the NAD or Cambridge route if you want to spend a little more. Just my .02. I've owned Denon and HK HT recievers, but the Marantz or Yamaha is a step above in power and sonics IMO.