Arfboy

I'm sorry, but you'll need to back up your statement with some facts, rather than throw your "experience" around so arrogantly.

Underpowering IN AND OF ITSELF does NOT damage speakers. If they did, your speakers would be blowing everytime you turn the volume down. Underpowering only damages speakers because of USER ERROR. People tend to turn gains up to compensate for lower output, which can lead to clipped signals that OVERPOWER a speaker. Speakers only die from exceeding thermal or mechanical limits. You don't do either by underpowering a speaker.

I do agree that headroom is good and that's why I have a 400Wx2 amp feeding speakers rated to handle 150W, but that does not negate the fact that underpowering does not damage speakers (but can lead to user error which destroys speakers).

totalimmortal

Volume has NO bearing on power. Underpowering and clipping the signal through upping the gain can lead to actual mechanical failure. The surround or spider can tear. Overpowering can burn or even melt VC's. Thats why aftermarket decks blow factory speakers, thermal breakdown.

Arfboy

Sorry, but you're wrong again. You really don't know what you're talking about.

Volume has EVERY bearing on power. The volume control is essentially a potentiometer that determines how much power the amp feeds the speaker, thereby controlling the volume. Lowering the volume lowers the power the speakers receive. Increasing the volume increases the power the speakers receive.

Read what you typed, then read what I typed. If you're going to try and correct me, you should at least be sure that you understand what I'm saying. Again, underpowering IN AND OF ITSELF doesn't damage the speaker. It isn't the reason for the clipped signal. By your own reasoning, the source of the problem is USER ERROR. An unknowledgeable person turning the gains up to a point where the signal is clipped, leading to a condition where the speakers have excessive power/heat, is attributed to user error, not underpowering.

Aftermarket decks blow factory speakers because factory speakers have power handling somewhere in the range of 5-10W RMS.

freecrx

first off the gain is not a volume knob and if it is being set too high to try and make up for too little power that is user error. technicaly speaking blowing speakers at all is user error, either through the use of overdriving the speakers with too much power or by setting the gain incorrectly which in turn creates clipped signals and distortion and therby creating excess heat

Arfboy

That would be correct. The gain isn't a volume knob... but who said it was?

Right, but the basic question asked was whether overpowering or underpowering a speaker was worse. Setting user error aside and looking only at overpowering and underpowering, overpowering is worse. Overpowering will, more likely than underpowering (again, without considering outside factors), lead to thermal and mechanical breakdown of speakers.

freecrx

when you suggest that you invariably turn the gain up to make it louder when underpowering you suggest that it can be used as a volume.
as far as the argument goes both can blow speakers was my point but someone with an understanding of both will not blow your speakers with either. speakers have their mechanical limits and if you know what to listem for things are ok either way, just dont be goofy about it.

Arfboy

I did no such thing. I suggested that some TEND TO, not invariably, turn the gains up to make it louder. And though I suggested that other people do this, it does not say that I feel that the same way. Rather, it was used as my reasoning behind attributing the cause of the problem to the user.

Both can LEAD TO conditions where speakers will be blown. However, in and of themselves without outside factors, only overpowering, not underpowering, will blow speakers. When you include secondary factors like user error, you avoid the basic question posed between overpowering and underpowering ONLY. Overpowering, by definition, is providing a speaker with more power than it is rated to handle. Underpowering, by definition, is providing a speaker with less power than it is rated to handle. Give a speaker designed to handle 100W 2000W and it will die. Give that same speaker 20W and there's no way it will die, unless you bring in outside factors again.

freecrx

so we agree...... cool then.

totalimmortal

I guess thats why I work where I work then. Because I dont know shit. They hired me for car audio because Im unqualified. I have a question, is anyone on here MECP certified??

Arfboy

Why do you keep dodging the issues raised and throwing your experience out there like you're all high and mighty? Respond to the arguments posed with some intelligent answers that refute them with facts and maybe you'll actually seem "qualified." Just because you can install car audio doesn't mean you know the science behind it (i.e. Volume has NO bearing on power. )