What determines the output volume of audio speakers - is it watts per channel or are there other factors?

Answer 1

Output power of the amplifier.
Impedance of the speaker.
Impedance of the speaker cable.
The quality of the speaker cable.
The quality of the drivers (cones).
The quality of the crossover.
Size of the voice coil.
Driver excursion.
Sensitivity of the speaker.

I have heard a set of high quality (and expensive...) horn speakers being driven by a single ended, 23 watt per channel valve amplifier, with top notch cables. The volume could pin you to the wall...

I have also heard an alleged 500wpc, cheap 'n' nasty amp, driving a pair of cheap 'n' nasty speakers, that sounded as loud as a kitten's meow...

Answer 2

Watts per channel RMS (Root Mean Square) is the proper and accurate measure of power handling for a speaker (not Peak Power), but efficiency is more important and that is measured in DbA. You can have two speakers rated at the same Wattage, and one will sound much louder than the other due to better electrical efficiency. Remember that loud sound is not usually quality sound. Better quality speakers use better magnets and so are more electrically efficient, however tend to have heavier magnets to give higher quality sound. This causes electrical efficiency to drop as a trade off for quality output. You need to have a balance. Its no good having top end speakers, if your stereo is low quality. The chain is only as good as the weakest link. Quality extends from stereo or amp to speaker via the cable in between.

I have a Technics (Moss Class AA Stereo) and a Pioneer (5.1 Channel) Amp wired up to Mission Floor Standers and Wall Mounters Via Pure Silver Cables. This is my ideal system, but some speakers would sound better with 100 percent Oxygen Free Cable (The composition of metal in the cable has a massive effect on sound quality). The Sound Volume is "Room Shaking" and the quality is superb.

Answer 3

what are you aiming for exactly?
watts per channel is the output from the amplifier, speakers will usually be rated as to max power they can handle.
a small amplifier will deliver low power to speakers so even a big, expensive set will sound cheap.
the power output of an amp can be misleading also, the common ratings are usually RMS and PMPO....PMPO will offer say, 40 watts a channel, RMS might say 10 watts per channel.
so the PMPO rating looks a more powerful amp, when in reality, they will both have a very similar output.
if you have 'dodgy' speakers, then buying a good set will improve the sound you get, but your amp has to be capable of 'driving' them.
a previous answer covered most of the factors that combine to create the sound so basically, you get what you pay for, but cheap parts and the sound might be 'ok' but spend some decent cash and the sound will be out of this world.

Answer 4

Your speakers are made to handle so many watts. In order to have control over how much wattage goes to them, there is a volume control, which is called a " potentiometer ", " pot" for short. In relation to speaker volume, a 'pot' describes an electrical device that has a user-adjustable
"resistance". Its application in speakers is the "rheostat" in the volume control which varies the 'resistance', changing what is called the 'tapping point'. When you turn the volume knob, little 'fingers' move along the resistance wire, changing the volume. It essentially increases or limits the amount of wattage going to the speakers.