What Watts Are What When It Comes To Your Audio System?

OR WHY YOU SHOULDN'T BRAG ABOUT YOUR SPEAKER WATTAGE
"How many watts are your speakers?" or "You gotta hear my 300 watt speakers, don't they sound great?" are examples of questions Chief Product Officer Andrew Welker has heard over and over again. Here's the thing, that's not the wattage you should be bragging about.
You need this video. You'll either learn something you didn't know, or you'll be nodding your head in agreement about never wanting to hear those two lines from your friends ever again 😊
"What Watts Are What?" is the latest chapter in our playlist "From The Axiom Audio Glossary: Audio Terms Explained". Looking forward to the next round of comments and questions, they are what inspires the next video topic.
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[@mfkhometheater7742]

I agree, people talk about "watts" in loudspeakers all the time and it drives me crazy. Even if an amplifier is involved such as powered subwoofers, they still rarely make sense. They go on about their powered sub having a up-teen thousand watt amp never realizing they are output limited by excursion capability on the low end and thermal capability of the VC at the upper end. The way they go on about it, it's like they are bragging about how much gas their car burns to get a mile. No, your subwoofer doesn't have 5000 watts of acoustic output!!! Maybe that would be a good video to make, tell them about acoustic watts and how their "5000 watt" subwoofer only provides a few acoustic watts at best.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Great comment! A video about acoustic power would be interesting, but I’d probably lose a bunch of viewers trying to tackle the math!

[@peters6366]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters Especially if it involves a differential wave equation!

[@franksam6818]

EXCELLENT..... EXCELLENT..... EXCELLENT Straight Forward message. Thank you!!

[@karthikraajan726]

Thankyou for your clearance. Now I get to know the meaning of watts in speakers...

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

You are most welcome!

[@emmet7208]

I just love when these little crappy sound bars with a bass box (selling for $150) claims 1000 Watts!

[@gowthamudhay2836]

Good video man

[@arielcandoleta5347]

I went into this church recently that uses a pair of loudspeskers and in the speaker cover fabric there was a sticker that says "2500 watts" It got me thinking whether a speaker has such limit. Thanks a ton for your explanation it was clear now.

[@patrickfarley8036]

In that scenario, it is quite possible those are POWERED Speaker cabs meaning each cab has its own built in amplifier so then that is why it has that sticker. That's generally the case. NOW.... something I need to say about that is the "2500 watts" often / most times is the PEAK wattage rating not the PROGRAM wattage which are very different. The proper explanation for this topic is too much to go into here, but VERY VERY simply Peak= is the total distance from the top of a sign wave to the bottom in one cycle. This case from the 0° line +1250w to -1250w =2500w but that's not usable power, it's total. Program or RMS wattage is the amount of consistent power you can draw from that total range and in general that's 25% of the PEAK power. So those 2500 peak watts only has 600 watts you can actually use to drive the sound and then usually 400 of that goes to drive the woofer and 200 drives the tweeter (As it takes 3 to 4 times as much power to make a bass signals sound as loud as treble signals) turning the signal into Decibelles (dB's). Another important factor for volume is Sound Pressure Level or SPL which tells you most about how efficient and how good your speakers really are. So 600+ Watts RMS, through speakers with an SPL of 97 and @ 127dB or better means a whole lot more to educated sound engineers and informed musicians than " I got 2500 per cab, dude!" 🤪 I suggest you look these terms up for yourself and watch out for the marketing ploys of sound manufacturers with stickers that advertise the "wattage"!!! Don't be fooled! Like your sound guy at church probably did!!! (And yeah, that was the quick version! 😉) 🤘💀🤘Peace be with you!

[@donc5423]

I would like to see a video explaining how the impedance of a speaker can change depending on the frequency it's reproducing. And how some speakers present an easy to drive resistive load and how others (like electrostatics) present a hard to drive reactive load. Also I think an explanation of how Watts Law relates to amplification and why current (amperage) output and not just voltage gain is so important with some speakers.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Thanks Don, those are some very good topics and we’ll add them to our video list! You might want to watch the video I made recently covering impedance as it goes into some detail regarding current and why a 4 ohm loudspeaker presents a more difficult load than an 8 ohm speaker kzbin.info/www/bejne/gJKomKRtjJ18kKs

[@dominicgarcia85]

When I asked about watts in monitors they reamed me at guitar center saying it didn’t matter but I still wanted to know they are both speaker and amp

[@rudolfhuijs4526]

Even more important is the speaker sensitivity. A high sensitivity rating, over 95 let's say, would translate in quite loudness with a 50W amplifier. Like those Harman Kardons of the 90's. When looking for new speakers I research on that rather than watts. As you say, it's important to match them properly with the output power from the AVR/amp. A proper 100 - 120W speaker, high sensitivity nicely balanced can kick the butt of a 250-300W. All those flashy watts on brochures or spec sheets are marketing crap as there has never been a standard to judge speaker ratings.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Absolutely, sensitivity is very important for determining acoustic output vs. input power. Thanks for commenting!

[@peters6366]

Thanks Andrew. Seems to touch on your video on Fidelity too. Having a "ginormous" amp & speaker system seems to be a waste of money if the sound produced does not have "fidelity" to the original recorded sound concept. Is the idea to have a "name" sound system with bells and whistles and POWER, or have a good sound for the environment one hears it in? How does it sound in your living room as compared to an anechoic chamber? Got to see the forest in spite of those trees!

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

This is very true, Peter. It does also speak to fidelity. Having speakers with enormous output potential strapped to a small amplifier is not going to give you the fidelity benefits in terms of dynamics that the speakers potentially capable of.

[@azardmohammed2954]

Thank you so very much,yes I am told I have 2 pairs of 15” bass speakers so that I will need an amp of 800 rms to play one pair,I don’t even know the wattage of one of the 15,what advice can you give,tks

[@c0uchsl0uch]

Is AVR watts the same as integrated amplifier watts? I have hear that a 100 watts RMS per channel amplifier is louder than a AVR 100 watts per channel at same ohm speaker

[@jeffbeam8533]

Always funny too when people have the HTIB system that is 1000watts into 2ohm load with 30%THD and one channel driven at 1hz. for 1second. Maybe I've missed it but is there a video that explains what real power is in an amp? Thanks Andrew.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Thanks Jeff. Yes, I love those 5000 watt HTIB systems that sell for $199…crazy! I believe I made a video years ago about amplifier power, but I think I need to revisit the topic.

[@P0rQpine]

Im trying to get a portable bluetooth speaker. How to indicate its loudness then

[@stephenc2738]

The term "loudspeaker watts" arose from the amount of required amplifier power to drive certain speakers to reasonable listening levels. The acoustic suspension AR3a was very inefficient and demanded a powerful amplifier to drive it so it was often referred to as a speaker needing a 200 watt amplifier. The Bose 901, was power hungry, so were many other box speakers of the day.. These inefficient speakers sparked the "Receiver Wars" which drove Pioneer, Technics, Sony, Marantz to produce physically huge receivers with increasingly more powerful, amplifier sections (I think Technics won it with a 300 wRms amplifier section and the size of a window air-conditioner). Carver produced the Phase Linear 700, a 350 wRMS amplifier that self-destructed if driven hard into loads dropping below 4 ohms (like Magnepans) gaining notoriety as "Flame Linear"

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Absolutely correct points, thanks for sharing. Ah…I have not heard “Flame Linear” in a long, long time. You used to be able to find those amps for cheap on the used market, but now they seem to have become collectable.

[@macoygunida]

It’s not the amp. It’s the maximum wattage the voice coil can take = is the speaker wattage. If your amp is 1000watts and you connect a 4 inch driver from a Bluetooth speaker, what’s gonna happen? It’s gonna blow up, why? Cause your 4” driver can only take 30 watts and your amp is 1000 watts. It’s a no brainer!

[@ryanhollis2837]

Could it be played at extremely low levels?

[@patrickfarley8036]

Hey Axiom dude! How are drivers tested or measured for their maximum rms wattage, please? I inherited a box if old drivers all un branded, no model#, no specs. Id like to make use of them i just dont know what they can handle, so im leary to put them jnto anything critical. Thanks very much!!!

[@ryanhollis2837]

I have a surround sound amp that is 400 watts. There are 7 pairs of red and black terminals. My speakers are 75-100 watts a piece. I have 5 speakers connected. Is this amp massively over powered for my setup or is it about right?

[@mrmshifan]

Hi, can you do a video on PMPO and other amp power ratings too? Thank you

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

I can certainly add that topic to our list, thank you! In the meantime, this video on Speaker Power Handling Vs Amplifier Power may be partly what you're looking for kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5fWaYKqm9uWm9U

[@mrmshifan]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters Thank you. I'll check it. 👍

[@lamptl3607]

If Watts cannot reflect the prowess of a speaker, how about the specification of sensitivity in terms of dB ? Can I say, the same amplifier with the same set of volume control can drive an 89 dB speaker louder than an 86dB speaker?

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Yes, sensitivity can be useful to compare two speakers, assuming that it has been specified in the same way. You would then know that the loudspeaker with the higher sensitivity will play louder for a given amount of amplifier power, assuming the impedances also match.

[@royrogers7644]

Watt rating on speakers are very important. You can not buy a 50W bookshelf loudspeaker and set your volmecontrol at 12 O`clock on your 1kW Mc intosh amp and expect the loudspeaker to handle it...

[@NBC_NCO]

Yes....absolutely. I hooked up my Sony Walkman... directly... into the 200 watt floor standing speakers ... baaaahahahaha. This used to be more common for me back in the 80s, with car audio. People would get spkeaker X rated at 350 watts and that was their claim to fame. Even though they didn't have a external amplifier.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Thanks for sharing! I would love to know where the misconception about “speaker watts” came from.

[@NBC_NCO]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters A lack of a teacher when we were young?

[@sdfromsth]

I would say: My 200w amp onto 4 ohms should not be able to destroy my speakers as they can handle 400w RMS and 1600w dynamic, on normal circumstances. However, my room and my ears are far from been able to handle the SPL that my system would push at maximum level.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Under normal circumstances I agree that would be the case, but if you overdrive and clip the amplifier severely it is possible to do damage to your speakers.

[@sdfromsth]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters I understand and I would never support this kind of usage. And my amp should put itself in protection mode on the first sign of clipping condition which is a good safety.

[@woodplay13]

Hi, I'm your new suscriber. I know this is not subject...But I'm little bit confused. I'm buying my first hi fi setup. Simple 2.0. I decided to buy new Rotel A11 mk2 AB amplifier 50w at 8ohms and 62w at 4ohms. Speakers Dynaudio Emit 10 and its writen in the specs 6ohms speaker IEC power handling 150w. I will put this relativly small bookshelf speakers in my bedroom with 16 square meters and I will listen from distance of 2.5meters. I will listen on moderate to low volumes, rock and metal I will cranck litle bit stronger but thats it. Is this amp enough for my speakers. I see on youtube reviewers put this rotel with much larger speakers and they said that is great sound. My seller told me that I need much more wats for this speaker to sound properly even 100w even with small volumes to give some juice to speaker. Now I'm tot aly confused.Can you pleasre you can help me I was so hapy to purchace this setup..now...thanks in advance

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

Hi Res is one I find annoying - 192 khz and 24 bits 🤷‍♂. It wont sound any better than 44.1 khz and 16 bit if the mastering is done correctly.

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Well, I will tend to disagree with you on this point. Typically recordings are made at higher resolutions and then need to be down-converted for CD mastering. I would much prefer a digital download in the original resolution, if it exists.

[@Phil_f8andbethere]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters Yes that's what happens as I understand it. If the process is done correctly, then the CD will sound the same as the hi-res to most people. It's a real pity the recording and music industry in the main are not too worried about audio quality, they are more interested in selling us the latest gimmick to keep us buying. If they did their jobs to the best standards achievable then CD would always be as good as we need. Great channel, keep going. 👍

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

@@Phil_f8andbethere Thank you! Yes, we all wish for the best production standards for music, but it’s unfortunately not normally the case.

[@Swanicorn]

Problem is forget people but companies like Sony, Samsung, LG that make sound systems literally say their wattage in the product's name. The power supply though for a 600W sound system is like 30W. What math is that???

[@kamesh_98]

Hi @AxiomAudio , I'm first time building a speaker on my own. I have 100w 2.0 Apm that will power 50w/channel. for 3 way crossover i chosen: woofer - 40w mids - 15w tweeter - 15w all are 8ohms (i have option to go for 4ohms) What do you think, in total 60w for speakers is too much or how should i choose mids and tweeter power?

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

I think you should be fine. If your amp is capable of handling 4 ohms I would go with 4 ohm drivers.

[@kamesh_98]

@@AxiomHomeTheaters Great, thanks! 🙂

[@kamesh_98]

Hi Bro, I cut down to 2way xover. My woofer of choice is - 25w and tweeter is 50 all in rms, so its't 75w now. Can my 50w/channel amp run this? if yes/no, why is that?

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

@@kamesh_98 You will be fine…remember that having less amplifier power than the speaker rating is not an issue if you pay attention to the speakers sounding strained when you turn up the volume. That would indicate that the amplifier is running out of power and clipping.

[@maestro6457]

I have 75W speakers and 220W amplifier powering them. Does that mean that I can only safely operate them at low volume?

[@AxiomHomeTheaters]

Not at all. Just listen for signs of strain or stress if you turn up the volume to loud levels.

[@warlord1873]

What?

[@warlord1873]

Watt