Speakers Rms with Amps
Hey all,
Just got a question about splits, 6x9 etc. I've learnt about subs and the correct amps and sort of know the ohms, but the thing is how many watts do the speakers have to put out before you require an amp? Like it was 300watt each front speaker (so 600watt peak) Which is i dunno maybe 150-200watt RMS, do you need to run an amp or not?
Also, what's a good Wattage for speakers? What's the max you can run on a headunit which is 200watt (50watt per channel, but we all know it doesn't actually put out that much)?
Another thing, for wiring them obviously you need the set of RCA's in the head unit, but does that mean you replace the speaker wire with another wire and connect it up to the amp, then the Rca's go to the Headunit, rather than the speaker > headunit?
Was just curious, one day i'll be doing it because these speakers are no-where near loud enough for me (without distortion).
Rough As
match the rms on a amp with the speaker rms, and get a 4 channel amp for 4 speakers
Alto Rullo
Originally Posted by DevilDRake
What the?
300watt, 600peak ? RMS isn't an estimate, MAX is. What speakers are they to handle 600watts?
Again, What the ? 50watt Max per CH, This is around 15-20rms i think by memory? Some models vary..
RCA's are a signal, Not sound. RCA will send signal from your H/u to amp, You will then run speaker wire from amp to speakers.
I think you need to go an audio shop, Have a chat in person. You've obviously been reading far too much online and getting far too confused.
Gee the car audio section is off putting the more you post...
Rough As
Nah mate, you're not understanding me, I said as an "EXAMPLE" for 300watt 600peak you know, "300watt each front speaker (so 600watt peak)" 2 front speakers, 300x2 = 600 yes?, was a random figure i thought you could use as an example, obviously I thought wrong.
Once again, 50watt max per chan, which is 15-22RMS per depending on headunit, which i also explained which i also already know.
I also stated, "replace the speaker wire with another wire and connect it up to the amp, then the Rca's go to the Headunit" which you obviously could of answered with "you don't need to change the wire", i wasn't wrong you just read it wrong.
Not being rude, but i gave the examples for you to answer the questions, no to question the random figures I put up.
@Nic92. Yes but did you read what i said either?
FFS I'll elaberate.
IF i wanted to change my speakers, HOW much watt would the speakers (each) have to be BEFORE i put an amp in, and not just run them off the headunit to get their full potential.
Rough As
doesnt matter how much they have to be, i got as little as 60rms each channel on my amp
That's still not my question, I know stock speakers are like 10Watt each or something, can I run 40watt each one for say, keep the stock head unit and get shitloads more quality without an amp? Or do i need one.
Alto Rullo
If you want to have a little carry on, Don't expect any help from people with knoweldge. You're thread is very hard to understand, You never said anything about an 'EXAMPLE'.
You're question is stupid, To put it simple for you. Since you don't like elaboration. Speakers all different, Effientcy of speakers plays a big role, Size of enclosure's, Output specs of amp etc etc.
I'm getting the feeling you already know it all, So why ask?
Rough As
do you mean change your speakers and keep the same stock head unit?
Hand over the dog bikkies
Most speakers can be amped you will find. There is no fixed level. Obviously your going to want to run an amp if you just went out and bout 75w rms splits for example.
Welcome to the internet where people have opinions that you might not like
new speakers will sound different, most likely better, but they won't be any louder, and will more likely be quieter than stock.
Rough As
what do you mean quieter?
my friend runs stock front and kenwood ones rear and the aftermarket ones are much louder at each level
Hand over the dog bikkies
How do you come up with that conclusion ammo?
Welcome to the internet where people have opinions that you might not like
Alto Rullo
I am quite sure Ammo is comparing with a stock headunit output. Stock speakers have a very high effiency, But low power handling. Throw a high powered speaker with a poor db rating and you aren't going to even get it warm.
aftermarket speakers are often less efficient because they are intended to be run off an amp.
while the stock speakers are light paper cone drivers, with low power handling and high sensitivity.
the guy was asking if he could run aftermarket speakers off the headunit, and how they would sound, this is what I'm answering.
Rough As
he should just get the speakers try them on the head unit, and if he doesnt like it then amp them up
Last edited by Nic92; 13-04-2011 at 09:43 AM.
Hand over the dog bikkies
Not to nit pick but I have a set of speakers on my shelf designed to be an upgrade from factory with out amping....
Welcome to the internet where people have opinions that you might not like
ok to try and actually be helpful to the OP
speakers dont put out Watts, the rating is their thermal power handling, ie the max amount of power they can take continuously, these are just a suggestion from the manufacturer. also remember that an amp rated at 50WRMS isnt going to be producing that much power all the time. music is dynamic and so is the amount of power required for each frequency.
so simple answer is to forget about power ratings of speakers. they provide no indication as to whether a speaker will be loud or require an amp.
as to whether you need an amp that is a different story. any speaker factory or aftermarket will sound better and get louder off an external amp instead of the amp in the head unit. if you are unhappy with the sound using the head unit amp, add an external amp.
as for wiring, you run RCAs to the amp and speaker wire form the amp to the speakers. and of course power, earth and remote go to the amp too
hope that helps
You are better of running through the Amp. The head unit is shit for sound quality.
Pretty much 15 watts per channel on the head unit.
Even wit a shitty amp, you still will be about 3 times better off
Donati..Whoa Green
I fail to see how running an amp will improve quality, unless you turning the volume up on the H/U to clip the internal amp.
An amp will only amplify the sound put out by the H/U, if the quality is crap, than the amplified sound will still be crap, just louder.
-Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
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-Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
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I didn't mean to sound direct, shit was happening last night = not the bed mood, my bad.
What I'm ment to be saying is i know about how to wire them up, I've found out about RMS into subs/amps but I've found out that speakers aren't they same (obviously but I thought they'd be similar).
Like if i had decent speakers I would definitly get an amp, I know how to match subs up with specs on an amp and wire it ect, I just wanted to know if i could get better speakers (nothing amazing) but enough that it could play at like 50 on the H/U without distortion which is what I'm getting now pretty damn bad.
What happens if I play good speakers without an amp? Is it as simple as not having enough power to them meaning they'll play, just not to their full potential?
Is that so? So an amp is basically to play them louder, not to help with distortion? If that's the case I'd only need better speakers because i can get the volume I want, just it's distorted as hell :S
Basically i just wanted to know how much better on quality i wanted to go before I NEED to install an amp, at the moment i'm running a Sony headunit so it's better than stock (but nothing amazingly more).
Yeah, i can play mine at the moment pretty loud, it's just distortion that sucks.
Donati..Whoa Green
What mood do you usually have in bed? LOL, I think you mean 'best'.
All an amplifier does is amplify, they aren't sound processors.
Are you turning the Sony headunit all the way up? Because guaranteed it will distort.
-Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.
James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)
-Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys.
P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian
-Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short Phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.
Ronald Reagan (1986)
That is very difficult to answer on an internet forum. It depends on which stage the distortion/clipping is being introduced. If you put the volume on 50 and the max volume is, say, 55, then the pre-amp stage could already be clipping. If this is the case, you need an amp, because then you will have more power and will get the same dB level with the volume on 30 instead of 50 (example numbers only).
If the distortion is from the speakers, it means the power they being fed is clean, but is too much for the speakers. They may be reaching the limits of excursion. Obviously replacement speakers with higher power handling would be called for.
The only way to find out which is which is testing.
So replace the speakers 1st, power them from the HU, and if the sound still sounds crap at volume 50, and not loud enough for you, you need to amp them.
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