If my receiver delivers 100 watts per channel, but my individual speakers are less than 100 watts, will it?

Question

still sound o.k.? Do you have to max out the receiver's wattage capabilities?

Answer 1

If you turn the volume up too high, you will damage your speakers.

If you can hear distortion, the output is too high. Turn the volume down. As long as you can't hear any distortion, the receiver's output at that moment is within the capabilities of your speakers.

Answer 2

What receiver do you have?

Most receivers with a MSRP under $1,000 claim 100, 120, 130+ watts per channel but that is dynamic power- what the amp can produce for fractions of a second during a peak in the audio.

If you have a home theater in a box, is might pump out a real world 25watts RMS per channel at insanely high THD levels.

I decent entry level receiver like an Onkyo 503/504/505 will put out a continuous 50watts RMS for 5 channels, but in the 40's for all 7 channels.

A mid level will put out 80-90 RMS for 5 channels and probably a little less for 7 channels.

A high-end mainstream like a Yamaha RX-V1700, Marantz 8000+ series, higher end Denons and others will actually deliver close to claimed RMS power.

Amplifiers are expensive and your using any half decent quality bookshelf speaker or decent entry level towers a high end receiver or external power amp will really make your speakers come alive with less distortion at high volumes and much cleaner sound. You also run much less risk of blowing tweeters with sustained high volume use.

Answer 3

You should never max out the receiver. You will produce distortion that will sound bad and worse, probably blow the tweeters. Moderately efficient speakers will be fairly loud with 25 watts. The extra amplifier capacity is reserved for loud passages. Also the power handling rating for speakers is almost always for continuous power. Most will handle 50% higher or more for short duration peaks.

Answer 4

Hi there .Not a problem. Just be sure you don't have the volume turned right up .Most well designed speakers are capable of receiving short bursts of higher power than their maximum rating.They usually state their minimum and maximum wattage power requirements on the back of the speaker at 8 ohms. You can do more damage to a speaker if your amplifier runs out of steam and sends a gross distorted signal to the speaker.

Answer 5

The short answer is "no", it isn't a problem. You are much more likely to damage your speakers by not having enough power than by having too much.
Receiver power ratings are in one word, overrated. The real factor is how much distortion. Distortion is what damages a speaker. As a general rule, higher power receivers deliver greater volume at lower levels of distortion.
The key is your volume. If you hear distortion, turn it down.

Answer 6

It's a little like saying "My car has 300 horsepower. Do I have to keep flooring it at every stoplight? Can I get a speeding ticket?"

100 watts will only be delivered in the loudest passages and at the loudest volume settings. The speakers will probably be okay, but don't push them into distortion. You do have the capability to blow them (hence, the speeding ticket), but not if you don't run them too loud.