How Much Power
Do I Need?
This is such a common
question, I felt compelled to address it in it's own category. The bottom
line is, it doesn't matter. Let me give you an example:
| |
Rated
Amp Power
|
Speaker
Efficiency
|
Max
SPL @ 0.5m
|
|
Speaker
Set #1
|
1
W/ch
|
100dB
SPL 1W/1m
|
112dB
|
|
Speaker
Set #2
|
10
W/ch
|
90dB
SPL 1W/1m
|
112dB
|
|
Speaker
Set #3
|
100
W/ch
|
80dB
SPL 1W/1m
|
112dB
|
Notice the power jumps
by a factor of 100 from set #1 to set #3. Notice the total output (volume)
stays the same. Why would a manufacturer sell a set like #3? In order
to "fix" problematic frequency responses or most likely to add
some funky low end (below 100Hz) eq curve, more power is required. If
a woofer is 10dB down at 50Hz and the maker wants it to be effectively
flat (0dB) then all they need do is put a 10dB boost in the amps and voila'--flat
to 50Hz is now possible! But, that means the power output surges by a
factor of ten (10dB = Power x 10).
Set #1 isn't exactly
the cat's meow either. Locating drivers that sound musical and are incredibly
efficient are few and far between. So the best and most common solution
sits squarely in the middle: set #2. With a moderate amount of power and
efficiency, the designer achieves a balanced design. Large
amps and transformers aren't required and neither are incredibly high
SPL drivers.
Conclusion
If it's simply not
feasible to listen to a speaker setup with your own ears, then you must
find reviews that convey not only the objective but also subjective qualities
of the set of interest. Those genuinely concerned about great, long term
sound quality, or what little of it there can be at the $50-$200 price
level, can rest assured that my reviews at TargetPC are the most thorough
on the web. No one else cares so deeply about uncovering manufacturer
defects, power output claims, and overall listenability beyond the "makes
your teeth chatter because they are sooo loud" group. Have I pissed
off manufacturers? You bet. But dedication to truth in advertising is
my primary goal. To that end, a few makers have contacted me specifically
asking for more in depth reviews. Visit us often to see what develops
in the very near future.
William
Yaple
06/05/00
