Quality Control

[jdaniels]

@99FRC

Power: Example: You have a 500W system in your car with a 200W head unit.

In order to maximize quality you want to have your output devices, outputting the most it can to the speakers WITHOUT hitting or going over the rated max. In the above case you need to somehow incease your output NO MORE than 300W. If your output power never exceeds the ratings on the speakers, you can listen to high quality music at any loudness without sacrificing quality. If you have a 1000W amp pushing to 500W speakers, you will blow the speakers, and before you get to that point, quality will be severely compromised.

Not quite. 300w speakers on a 300w amp can definitely blow. A 300w amp driven to clipping will be more harmful than a clean, unclipped 500-600w amp any day.

You can definitely overpower speakers safely, too. I’ve done it for years. Power ratings are a warranty thing, not a definite. The gain is your friend.

Only pay attention to RMS ratings as well… Peak power is bullshit. Generally, most higher end companies will state it as twice RMS power… in many cheaper brands they will state it as 3x to 4x RMS power. It’s marketing bullshit.