How Much Amplifier Power Do I Need?
I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard a conversation about amplifier power go like this: “I hear that B&W speakers need at least 400W,” or, “I heard that Paradigm speakers are very power-hungry.”
The fact is, there IS a way to figure out how much power your speakers will need and how to pair an amplifier with the speakers you already own or are looking to purchase.
To determine the amplifier power, you will need the following items:
Speaker sensitivity specification (typically dB SPL /1W /1m)
Number of speakers you are using
Distance from speaker(s)
How loud do you want your music to sound, for general reference
70-80dB for speech only
80-95dB for light music
95-110dB for heavy music
Rules to Remember
Every time you double power or double the number of speakers, you increase the sound pressure level (SPL) by 3dB.
Every time you double the distance from the speaker, you decrease SPL by 6dB.
A speaker specification of 95 dB SPL/1W/1m means that at 1W of power, the...
Jan 31, 2020