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Audio and Video Talk
General Discussion
Audio 101 - Can your speaker be too big for your amp???
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<blockquote data-quote="Ampdog" data-source="post: 64826" data-attributes="member: 144"><p>Nidri,</p><p></p><p>One needs to be careful not to draw a direct relationship between the maximum <strong>available output</strong> of an amplifier and the volume control position. I will try to explain:</p><p></p><p>How much rotation the volume control requires per unit of output power, is a function of amplifier gain. The more the amplification of your source, the lower the volume control setting will be for a certain loudness, and subsequently a <strong>certain output power</strong>. But that has nothing to do with the <strong>maximum output power</strong> the amplifier is capable of. For a relatively high amplification, that maximum might be reached at a setting of say only 40% of the volume control, while for too little amplification (e.g. too low an input), the maximum may never be reached. Maximum setting of the volume control will give only say 80% of the available output power. That would mean that for a say 20% setting of the volume control, the first amplifier might sound louder than the second - but it will run out of steam much sooner. Any further advance of the volume control will result in only overload and distortion; it will not increase the output power beyond the maximum rating. You have probably experienced that a portable radio will sound loud 'much sooner' than your amplifier does, judged by the setting of the volume control. Yet the maximum capability of the portable might be hardly 1W compared to the amplifier's of >100W. A number of other factors come in here regrading the hearing characteristic etc.; that is another subject. Firstly the above must be grasped.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Ampdog, post: 64826, member: 144"] Nidri, One needs to be careful not to draw a direct relationship between the maximum [b]available output[/b] of an amplifier and the volume control position. I will try to explain: How much rotation the volume control requires per unit of output power, is a function of amplifier gain. The more the amplification of your source, the lower the volume control setting will be for a certain loudness, and subsequently a [b]certain output power[/b]. But that has nothing to do with the [b]maximum output power[/b] the amplifier is capable of. For a relatively high amplification, that maximum might be reached at a setting of say only 40% of the volume control, while for too little amplification (e.g. too low an input), the maximum may never be reached. Maximum setting of the volume control will give only say 80% of the available output power. That would mean that for a say 20% setting of the volume control, the first amplifier might sound louder than the second - but it will run out of steam much sooner. Any further advance of the volume control will result in only overload and distortion; it will not increase the output power beyond the maximum rating. You have probably experienced that a portable radio will sound loud 'much sooner' than your amplifier does, judged by the setting of the volume control. Yet the maximum capability of the portable might be hardly 1W compared to the amplifier's of >100W. A number of other factors come in here regrading the hearing characteristic etc.; that is another subject. Firstly the above must be grasped. [/QUOTE]
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Audio and Video Talk
General Discussion
Audio 101 - Can your speaker be too big for your amp???
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