Speakers in modern audio systems receive electrical impulses from an amplifier. The strength of this electrical audio signal is measured in watts. Since stereo systems use at least two speakers, this is expressed as "watts per channel."
Definition
Wattage refers to output (a combination of volts and amperes) from a power amplifier or audio receiver that is carried through wires to the speaker input terminals. Most speakers and headphones are passive receptors, referred to as "transducers."
Rating
Wattage rating for a speaker refers to the maximum continuous power that the speaker can handle without "blowing out." A speaker pushed past its maximum rating will overload, and permanent damage to its drivers and internal wiring can occur.
Relationship of Watts and Loudness
The relationship of wattage to sound level is often misunderstood. A doubling of wattage is required to increase the sound level by just three decibels, a minimum perceptible change to the human ear. An amplifier with 100 watts per channel cannot play 10 times louder than one with 10 watts per channel.
Damage to Speakers
While much attention is given to overloading a speaker with excessive wattage, the greater danger is to blast a low-power amplifier (for example, 5-30 watts per channel) at excessive volume levels, which causes more severe damage to speaker materials through the distortion of sound.
Advantages of High Wattage
The real advantage of a high-wattage amplifier is not greater volume, but its ability to handle higher levels of sound with less (or no) distortion.
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