How to Avoid over powering speakers? - Blu-ray Forum

Automission · 01-19-2009, 03:48 PM

How much of a risk is there at blowing my speakers after initial use? How would I avoid this from happening?
I'm going to setup with an Onkyo 606, and the following speakers
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification

Will the Receiver over power them and cause them to blow? Also, any simple tips to avoid blowing them? i.e, don't go over a certain volume, check cabling, etc?

McGarnigal · 01-19-2009, 04:22 PM

Set your receiver to small speakers, THX recommends that setting anyway unless you have ginormous towers...

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

How much of a risk is there at blowing my speakers after initial use? How would I avoid this from happening?
I'm going to setup with an Onkyo 606, and the following speakers
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification
http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification

Will the Receiver over power them and cause them to blow? Also, any simple tips to avoid blowing them? i.e, don't go over a certain volume, check cabling, etc?

just make sure your receiver isnt sending too many watts to a speaker that cant handle it.... most receivers are around 100 watts, give or take and that wont blow a speaker...

richteer · 01-19-2009, 04:24 PM

Most speakers are blown due to being used with underpowered amps, rather than overpowered amps, so you'll probably be OK. That said, the onset of audible distortion is a sign to turn the volume down!

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richteer

Most speakers are blown due to being used with underpowered amps, rather than overpowered amps, so you'll probably be OK. That said, the onset of audible distortion is a sign to turn the volume down!

Yes, distortion also... forgot to mention that..

Automission · 01-19-2009, 05:18 PM

So the lowest one there is 100w (Excluding the tower with a range as low as 40w) Will that be okay with a extra 50w's pumped into it?
But basically, just set the Receiver to small speakers. Will that effect sound quality?

kingofgrills · 01-19-2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

So the lowest one there is 100w (Excluding the tower with a range as low as 40w) Will that be okay with a extra 50w's pumped into it?
But basically, just set the Receiver to small speakers. Will that effect sound quality?

No problem at all. I've installed Monitor Audio speakers quite a bit, and you'll be fine. As richteer stated, most speaker damage is caused by cranking underpowered amplifiers, because of the damaging clipping and distortion that could be caused.

Listen to it without worry, and use some common sense. Besides just damaging your equipment, you also don't want to give yourself long term hearing loss. If you audibly hear distortion, turn down the speakers. Also, the volume level indicator on your receiver should give you an indication of how hard you're pushing it too. As a safe rule of thumb, don't push the receiver past - 0 db. Most individuals cannot comfortably listen at that level for prolonged periods anyway. I certainly can't.

Automission · 01-19-2009, 05:43 PM

Zero DB? Isn't that a bit quiet? Thanks for the kind advice though. So do you recomend small speaker setting (or whatever the onkyo equivalent is) or just letting it handle on it's own?

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

Zero DB? Isn't that a bit quiet? Thanks for the kind advice though. So do you recomend small speaker setting (or whatever the onkyo equivalent is) or just letting it handle on it's own?

Zero DB's is very loud! I think most receivers go to +10 tops...

Automission · 01-19-2009, 06:15 PM

Haha, okay then! But one thing relating to setting speakers to small. Would this not under power them? If the receiver is set to small speakers, it'd send out lass Watts, causing them to be under powered.
Or am I wrong again?
Basically, can I just plug speakers in and let em provide noise as the film sees fit?

Squozen · 01-19-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

Haha, okay then! But one thing relating to setting speakers to small. Would this not under power them? If the receiver is set to small speakers, it'd send out lass Watts, causing them to be under powered.
Or am I wrong again?
Basically, can I just plug speakers in and let em provide noise as the film sees fit?

Setting the speaker size to small stops sending low frenquencies to them, routing the lows to your subwoofer instead. This greatly reduces the amount of power your receiver needs to push to your speakers and improves the sound as most affordable speakers don't go very low anyway.

You should really read that receiver manual - they're handy.

Previous posters are correct that it is much worse to UNDER-power speakers than run a powerful amp with speakers that don't have a high wattage rating. For example, my Yamaha is rated at 140W per channel, but my rear surrounds (set to small in my receiver, because they ARE small) are rated at 50W. And guess what, it's fine!

Automission · 01-19-2009, 06:47 PM

The Manual has no mention of small speaker setting, which is why I'm asking. I'm guessing they give it some technical term. But okay, I'l set them low then. I better not risk trying.
But wont changing the settings before running the speaker test bugger it up?

DavePS3 · 01-19-2009, 06:50 PM

Turning up many amps results in distortion and that's usually what hurts speakers. If it's clean power, most apeakers can handle things quite well. If you're letting your speakers take some of the bass, you'll know when the speakers are distorting... unless you're deaf, it's pretty obvious. Back off the volume quick in that instance. Let the subwoofer be the balls in the system.

Squozen · 01-19-2009, 06:59 PM

Automission, I've looked at the speakers you're buying and trust me, unless you're a screaming idiot who runs their system at full power all day with drum and bass, you won't have a problem at all.

I would personally set your front L/R speakers to large, and the rest to small, but experiment.

Enjoy the system.

Automission · 01-19-2009, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squozen

Automission, I've looked at the speakers you're buying and trust me, unless you're a screaming idiot who runs their system at full power all day with drum and bass, you won't have a problem at all.

I would personally set your front L/R speakers to large, and the rest to small, but experiment.

Enjoy the system.

Thanks. I've noticed my systems works via Hz rather than large and small sizes. So what Hz is the correct setting to be considered "small"?

Ozz · 01-19-2009, 07:09 PM

Greetings,
Setting your speakers to small, large, etc, has no effect on if you are going to blow your speakers or not. The only reason to set them to small and cross them over at 80Hz, 100HZ, etc, is because most speakers don't go low enough(60HZ or less) to produce that information. speakers will just stop producing sound at the speakers lowest crossover point. Most damage of a speaker will happen in the mid range area. As a previous poster already said, you are more lilkely to damage your speakers from underpowering them and getting distortion/clipping from your amp.

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

Thanks. I've noticed my systems works via Hz rather than large and small sizes. So what Hz is the correct setting to be considered "small"?

alot of receivers work on both.. i would think around 80 hz and up would be considered small. i have toweres that claim to go to down to 45 hz, but i still keep them at 80 and let the sub handle the rest...

Automission · 01-19-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pelican170

alot of receivers work on both.. i would think around 80 hz and up would be considered small. i have toweres that claim to go to down to 45 hz, but i still keep them at 80 and let the sub handle the rest...

so 80-200hz is a small size, and 45-80 is large? Okay. Thing is, what Ozz has said makes all this seem bollocks if what he says is true.

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

so 80-200hz is a small size, and 45-80 is large? Okay. Thing is, what Ozz has said makes all this seem bollocks if what he says is true.

no, actually what he is saying kinda goes with what im saying. i dont think there is an actual range for large vs. small. i was just giving a range that i would think....

Pelican170 · 01-19-2009, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Automission

so 80-200hz is a small size, and 45-80 is large? Okay. Thing is, what Ozz has said makes all this seem bollocks if what he says is true.

do you have towers? if not, then they should definately be set to small, then do the hz also...

01-19-2009, 03:48 PM	#1
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	How to Avoid over powering speakers? How much of a risk is there at blowing my speakers after initial use? How would I avoid this from happening? I'm going to setup with an Onkyo 606, and the following speakers http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification http://www.monitoraudio.co.uk/produc.../specification Will the Receiver over power them and cause them to blow? Also, any simple tips to avoid blowing them? i.e, don't go over a certain volume, check cabling, etc?

01-19-2009, 06:15 PM	#10
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	Haha, okay then! But one thing relating to setting speakers to small. Would this not under power them? If the receiver is set to small speakers, it'd send out lass Watts, causing them to be under powered. Or am I wrong again? Basically, can I just plug speakers in and let em provide noise as the film sees fit? Last edited by Automission; 01-19-2009 at 06:20 PM.

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01-19-2009, 04:22 PM	#2
McGarnigal Blu-ray Guru Member since:Oct 2008 4K collection:148 Blu-ray collection:328 Blu-ray reviews: 1 Trading Score:10	Set your receiver to small speakers, THX recommends that setting anyway unless you have ginormous towers...

01-19-2009, 04:24 PM	#4
richteer Blu-ray Samurai Member since:Jun 2007 Location:Kelowna, BC Trading Score:1	Most speakers are blown due to being used with underpowered amps, rather than overpowered amps, so you'll probably be OK. That said, the onset of audible distortion is a sign to turn the volume down!

01-19-2009, 05:18 PM	#6
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	So the lowest one there is 100w (Excluding the tower with a range as low as 40w) Will that be okay with a extra 50w's pumped into it? But basically, just set the Receiver to small speakers. Will that effect sound quality?

01-19-2009, 05:43 PM	#8
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	Zero DB? Isn't that a bit quiet? Thanks for the kind advice though. So do you recomend small speaker setting (or whatever the onkyo equivalent is) or just letting it handle on it's own?

01-19-2009, 06:47 PM	#12
Automission Active Member Member since:Jul 2008 Location:England	The Manual has no mention of small speaker setting, which is why I'm asking. I'm guessing they give it some technical term. But okay, I'l set them low then. I better not risk trying. But wont changing the settings before running the speaker test bugger it up?

01-19-2009, 06:50 PM	#13
DavePS3 Blu-ray Guru Member since:Jan 2007 Location:Toronto Home Theater Gallery:56 Blu-ray reviews:1 Trading Score:1	Turning up many amps results in distortion and that's usually what hurts speakers. If it's clean power, most apeakers can handle things quite well. If you're letting your speakers take some of the bass, you'll know when the speakers are distorting... unless you're deaf, it's pretty obvious. Back off the volume quick in that instance. Let the subwoofer be the balls in the system.

01-19-2009, 06:59 PM	#14
Squozen Senior Member Member since:Jan 2008 Location:Melbourne, Australia Home Theater Gallery:17 Blu-ray collection:80	Automission, I've looked at the speakers you're buying and trust me, unless you're a screaming idiot who runs their system at full power all day with drum and bass, you won't have a problem at all. I would personally set your front L/R speakers to large, and the rest to small, but experiment. Enjoy the system.

01-19-2009, 07:09 PM	#16
Ozz Member Member since:Aug 2007 Location:Surrey, BC. Canada Home Theater Gallery:13	Greetings, Setting your speakers to small, large, etc, has no effect on if you are going to blow your speakers or not. The only reason to set them to small and cross them over at 80Hz, 100HZ, etc, is because most speakers don't go low enough(60HZ or less) to produce that information. speakers will just stop producing sound at the speakers lowest crossover point. Most damage of a speaker will happen in the mid range area. As a previous poster already said, you are more lilkely to damage your speakers from underpowering them and getting distortion/clipping from your amp.

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