Will my speakers be damaged?

[Stiffy]

I am currently driving a pair of Tannoy Mercury V4's or
Mordaunt Short MS55Ti's with an old 70's Pioneer SX-5000 receiver amp.

From memory the amp only kicks out around 15-30w but it sounds like an awful lot more, both sets of speakers are rated much higher than this and I seem to recall reading somewhere that distortion is the biggest killer of speakers.

Does this only become a problem at anti-social volume levels and therefore have nowt to worry about or is the amp likely to cause any damage?

A stupid question maybe but then I don't know the answer. :scratch:

[realysm42]

Isn't it only when you drive an amp to clipping it 'hurts' the speakers, hence it being best to have headroom with your amp?

[Ali Tait]

It's true that you are more likely to damage a pair of speakers with a low powered SS amp, as it's easy to drive the amp into clipping, which will make short work of your tweeters!

However, assuming the speakers you have are not too difficult a load and are reasonably sensitive, I'd say 15-30w should be fine for all but very silly levels.

[icehockeyboy]

Isn't it only when you drive an amp to clipping it 'hurts' the speakers, hence it being best to have headroom with your amp?

That's what I believe.

I have to smile when I hear people advising others that if for example you have a 100 watt amp, you Need 150/200 watt capacity speakers, and when a DJ once said to me, " oh, my speakers shouldn't have knackered up like that, after all they handle 1000 watts and my amp only pushes out 250".......:lol:

[Stiffy]

That's what I believe.

I have to smile when I hear people advising others that if for example you have a 100 watt amp, you Need 150/200 watt capacity speakers, and when a DJ once said to me, " oh, my speakers shouldn't have knackered up like that, after all they handle 1000 watts and my amp only pushes out 250".......:lol:

How ya doin?

I'm still enjoying the SHB's you sent me a couple of years ago.
Shhh, best be quiet, some other forums would accuse one of shilling.

[walpurgis]

I used to use a pair of ancient 6 watt rated PM1 Lowther Acoustas with a 220 watt mosfet power amp without problems (apart from the horrible sound quality). Just use you loaf (and your ears) and you'll be fine.

[istari_knight]

I'm 99% certain those Mordaunt-Short's have "positec" or whatever they called it protection against overload....All the positec is, is a thermistor which gets hot when too much current flows through it. Its resistance then increases, protecting the drive unit.

[icehockeyboy]

How ya doin?

I'm still enjoying the SHB's you sent me a couple of years ago.
Shhh, best be quiet, some other forums would accuse one of shilling.

:lol::eyebrows:

[plastic penguin]

I am currently driving a pair of Tannoy Mercury V4's or
Mordaunt Short MS55Ti's with an old 70's Pioneer SX-5000 receiver amp.

From memory the amp only kicks out around 15-30w but it sounds like an awful lot more, both sets of speakers are rated much higher than this and I seem to recall reading somewhere that distortion is the biggest killer of speakers.

Does this only become a problem at anti-social volume levels and therefore have nowt to worry about or is the amp likely to cause any damage?

A stupid question maybe but then I don't know the answer. :scratch:

It is true that 'clipping' can cause damage to your speakers. I'm not one for paper specs, but you need a system that fits the cause, aside from preferred SQ. For many years I used my old Arcam A65+ with MA RS6s. The difference is I only needed a kit for low-medium levels (due to baby P and elderly neighbours), so the smallish 40 watts thrown out by the Arcam wasn't an issue.

Constant high levels from an underpowered amp will eventually cause, as mentioned by other posters, long-term tweeter damage.

[StanleyB]

Constant high levels from an underpowered amp will eventually cause, as mentioned by other posters, long-term tweeter damage.
It can damage bass drivers as well.