Is 8 Watts RMS very loud?

Question

I'm interested in a set of speakers that state they are 8 watts RMS. Is this very loud? I need quite a bit of volume for recording/singing etc.

Answer 1

The speakers are rated up to 8 watts. That means that you could give it a clean signal up to 8W and expect it to work fine.
Note: this doesn't mean that you cannot connect an amp bigger than 8 W RMS. In fact, the speakers would be safer if connected to a 20W amp kept to a reasonable level because it could deliver clean power at normal listening levels. If you connected a 5W amp and tried to play at the same volume, it might produce distorted peaks of say 30W, destroying the speakers.

Will they be loud? is a different question. Speaker efficiency tells how a speaker uses the amp's power to produce sound. IT is measured as the sound pressure level at 1 metre at 1 watt of input. Values for big PA speakers are typically 95-100dB but music speakers are more like 85-90dB 1m 1W and very expensive speakers can be even less efficient.
1W doesn't sound like much, but I would be surprised if much more than 1W is required by ANY amp to provide normal listening volume. The rest of the power in an amp is to provide for transient (short-lived) peaks way above the normal program, so it is good to have.

Would they be loud enough? If connected to a good quality amp, then they probably would. Ideally you should listen to them before you buy.

BTW Sometimes computer speakers are rated to 800W PMPO. This is completely meaningless. Peak Music Power Output (PMPO) uses some strange formula to convert the number 10 into the number 800.

Answer 2

Probably because the speakers used with guitars (usually ported designs) are much more efficient than (most) home theatre speakers (usually sealed). Check the efficiency rating. It's usually something like "xx dB @ 1 m @ 1 watt input". For different speakers, output (the xx in the rating) varies from about 85 to over 100 dB for the same standard input power. When you look at the data at the link (which explains efficiency and how loudness varies with power) you will see that a 10dB difference in efficiency can mean a huge difference in loudness from the same 100 watt amp.

Answer 3

No not really, my speakers are 100 watt rms, the ones in my truck are 400watt rms. 8 watts is like a little portable radio size.

Answer 4

no 8 watts of rms is very low

Answer 5

No. 8 watts each side will be flat out in a 10x12 room.

Answer 6

8w Speakers