Peak power and my new CA speaker system

[SpankingVanillaice]

I always wondered about this but what does total system peak power mean? Like example my new Cyber Acoustics CA-3554 speaker system says 32 watts total RMS and 68 watts total system peak power. Does this mean that my speakers are technicaly has 68 watts of power? Or are they still 32 watts? I heard that RMS means that the speaker actualy have double the power like example if a speaker is only 15 watts RMS then it goes upto 30 watts total power.



I got these speakers at Radio Shack for $52.99 plus 0.07% tax so it was total of $56.70 I actualy paid. They have alot of bass since they have a power pro series 6 and a half inch sub. Here are new pics of my speakers. They actualy look really nice. I so far have had these nice speakers for a month. They go pretty loud for my bedroom. They have gold plated plugs and connections so that's good.

[Luvin Da Blues]

Dallas, how's it going man. Good to see you back.

[Smokey]

I always wondered about this but what does total system peak power mean?

Peak Power is amount of headroom an amplifier have that can handle music peaks or spikes. It is more related to quality (distortion) than quantity (volume).


Like example my new Cyber Acoustics CA-3554 speaker system says 32 watts total RMS and 68 watts total system peak power. Does this mean that my speakers are technically has 68 watts of power? Or are they still 32 watts?

Your speakers have 32 watts of (usable) power. But you also can say speakers have 68 watts of power as long as power is labeled "Peak"


I heard that RMS means that the speaker actually have double the power like example if a speaker is only 15 watts RMS then it goes upto 30 watts total power.

Are you refering to speaker or amplifier power?

For amplifier, that statement is not correct. Without knowing Dynamic Headroom and THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) of amplifier, you can not make such an assumption.

[Feanor]

Peak Power is amount of headroom an amplifier have that can handle music peaks or spikes. It is more related to quality (distortion) than quantity (volume).

Your speakers have 32 watts of (usable) power. But you also can say speakers have 68 watts of power as long as power is labeled "Peak"
...

There is a no specific relationship between valid RMS, and peak / "music" power ratings; it depends on the amp or speaker in question.

Basically RMS power pertains to the continuous power the amp can provide or the speaker can absorb, (32 watts sounds very high for desktop speakers, pardon my skepticism).

In the case of ampliers specifically, peak or transient power can be more than twice the RMS if, for example, the amp has very large capacitors that can dump a lot of power instantaneously; on the other hand, the RMS might be limited, for example, by the amp's heat sinks or the transistors' temperature range of operation.

[Smokey]

(32 watts sounds very high for desktop speakers, pardon my skepticism).

Not really. My PC speakers (Altec lansing 621) are rated at (RMS) 143 watts :D

Beside, 32 watts split three way doesn't amount to much.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Well here are the specs for my speaker system.




System Power Output:
32 watts total RMS
Satellites - 6 watts/ch x 2 @ 4 ohm - 10% THD
Subwoofer - 20 watts @ 4 ohm - 10% THD
68 watts total system peak power

Drivers:
Satellites - 2.5" high efficiency, 4 ohm drivers
Subwoofer - 6.5" Power Pro Series Driver
Frequency Response:
30HZ to 20KHZ

S/N Ratio:
Satellites  78dB
Subwoofer  65dB

Power:
Internal, UL/UCL approved

Dimensions:
Satellites - (H) 7" x (W) 3.5" x (D) 2.5"
Subwoofer - (H) 11.5" x (W) 8" x (D) 7.5"



So basicaly the sub gets only 20 watts RMS and the satellites gets 6 watts RMS. Also it says it only goes low as 30hz but I have actualy played a 5hz tone and it really play it but I can't hear it since humans can only hear low as 20hz. Actualy at 20hz it's more of I can feel it than hear it.

[GMichael]

How do you know that it played the 5hz tone? Did you measure it with something?

[Hyfi]

What did you do with the other 37 sets of speakers?

[Rich-n-Texas]

How do you know that it played the 5hz tone? Did you measure it with something?

Sorry I missed this earlier because it needed to be deleted.

[GMichael]

Sorry I asked.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Well I do have a program called True RTA and it does measure your speakers if it plays a tone. So that's how I know it actualy plays it. Also there were other people who measure it and said it actualy goes low as 5hz.

[SpankingVanillaice]

And for the rest of the speakers I had I sold them a long time agao to get some money out of them.

[Smokey]

System Power Output:
32 watts total RMS
Satellites - 6 watts/ch x 2 @ 4 ohm - 10% THD
Subwoofer - 20 watts @ 4 ohm - 10% THD



Personally, I wouldn’t go near anything that have higher than 1 % THD. Higher THD mean listening fatigue.

[Luvin Da Blues]

Well I do have a program called True RTA and it does measure your speakers if it plays a tone. So that's how I know it actualy plays it. Also there were other people who measure it and said it actualy goes low as 5hz.


Does it use a microphone? If not then your not actually measuring the speakers output. And I doubt your sound card would even play a 5Hz tone at any level.

[RoadRunner6]

His............................................... ..........5 times/sec.

Knock it off Rich! My sternum is still rather sore especially when I laugh like a horse.

[RoadRunner6]

My PC speakers (Altec lansing 621) are rated at (RMS) 143 watts

Our Black and Decker Toaster Oven is rated at 1200 watts.

[audio amateur]

His 5 times/sec.
That deserves an army of greenies... Sorry I can't give them to ya

[SpankingVanillaice]

Yes I did use a microphone and this program can play from 1hz to 20khz. My PC can forsure play from 1hz to 20khz.

[SpankingVanillaice]

I had to set the volume kinda low like around 30% to actualy be able to play 5hz since if you set it upto 50% or higher volume it just kinda distorts. I guess since this sub is only 20 watts RMS it doesn't have alot of power like those bigger subs that can go 100 watts RMS. But these speakers are loud so like setting the voulme around 50% is pretty loud.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Personally, I wouldn’t go near anything that have higher than 1 % THD. Higher THD mean listening fatigue.Well most PC speakers are rated at 10% THD I noitced and if you get maybe those $200 systems or higher then ya maybe those are lower but most that are affordable prices like $100 or less are 10% THD.

[Smokey]

Well most PC speakers are rated at 10% THD I noitced

Under $200, that is a truth. That is why if you are looking at systems under $200, pick a system that is high powered. Since 10% THD is rated at full power output, at typical lower power output for avarage listening, THD will be less.

For example, look at this power specifications for my PC speakers. At lower power output, THD is less than 10%.

http://www.targetpc.com/hardware/audio/speakers/altec621/ratings.jpg



If you get maybe those $200 systems or higher then ya maybe those are lower but most that are affordable prices like $100 or less are 10% THD.

I think you can find a decent system for under $150. For example, this Logitech system from Bestbuy for $150 (on the web for $119, or wait till it goes on sale). 400 watts peak power :ihih:

http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/8494/8494328_ra.jpg

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8494328&type=product&id=1186003898407

[Smokey]

Our Black and Decker Toaster Oven is rated at 1200 watts.

Your kitchen appliances need to go green :ciappa:

[SpankingVanillaice]

Come to think about it I use to have the Philips MMS321 PC speakers and they were rated at 80 watts. I guess 80 watts for a system without a sub is pretty good. I remember these costs the same as the Cyber Acoustics CA-3554 with a sub. It built might be better too since it's using $50 for just two speakers instead of 3 speakers like the Cyber Acoustics. From what I remember for around $50 the Philips ones sounded the best meaning clear bass, mids and highs. But too bad it didn't have gold plated connections. If it did it would of been a great system. But I guess if you want more clear sound then the Philips one might be better but if you want more bass then the Cyber Acoustics one would be better.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Under $200, that is a truth. That is why if you are looking at systems under $200, pick a system that is high powered. Since 10% THD is rated at full power output, at typical lower power output for avarage listening, THD will be less.

For example, look at this power specifications for my PC speakers. At lower power output, THD is less than 10%.

http://www.targetpc.com/hardware/audio/speakers/altec621/ratings.jpg




I think you can find a decent system for under $150. For example, this Logitech system from Bestbuy for $150 (on the web for $119, or wait till it goes on sale). 400 watts peak power :ihih:

http://images.bestbuy.com/BestBuy_US/images/products/8494/8494328_ra.jpg

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8494328&type=product&id=1186003898407I have listen to those Logitech speakers and yes they did sound ok but I didn't know if it was worth $150. I guess if you want loud bass then maybe they are good or if you want to turn your speakers loud. Also the Cyber Acoustics I have are already loud since my mom says she can hear the bass even my room is downstairs. That's why I' am thinking to maybe get the Philips one instead then she won't hear the bass that much.

[Smokey]

I have listen to those Logitech speakers and yes they did sound ok but I didn't know if it was worth $150. I guess if you want loud bass then maybe they are good or if you want to turn your speakers loud.

This is where you are going wrong. As it was said before, having higher power is not about getting louder. Even a 10 watt system can get pretty loud. Higher power mean better quality sound, not louder.

To keep distorion low and reproduce music peaks and spikes, you need pretty good amount of power-there is no other way around it. That is why you keep going from one system to next. You are hearing distortion instead of music from those systems.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Well I do know that the Cyber Acoustics speakers I have now are the high end series from Cyber Acoustics since other speakers I see on there website are lower powered meaning they are not 32 watts RMS and 68 watts peak power.


The Philips one is 80 watts so that might have less distortion. But the plugs are not gold plated like the ones I have now.

[SpankingVanillaice]

Here are lists of systems with sub from Cyber Acoustics website. As you see mine is the higher end series from them. My speakers are in the Platinum Series which is good.



http://www.cyberacoustics.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Home.SubCategoryDetail&content_id=475





They use to have the Cyber Acoustics A-3780rb which was the ultimate system but they discontinued this model since dealers didn't want to buy these. I called Cyber Acoustics and asked them and they also said it's because the economy is going down hill so people won't buy higher end speakers anymore. They were 180 watts of power now I bet that has very low distortion.


http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16836150038

[E-Stat]

They use to have the Cyber Acoustics A-3780rb which was the ultimate system but they discontinued this model since dealers didn't want to buy these...They were 180 watts of power now I bet that has very low distortion.
Sorry to rain on your parade, but TEN percent distortion is not exactly "very low". Follow link from Newegg's site to the manufacturer's site here. (http://www.cyberacoustics.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Home.ProductDetail&content_id=334) A 76 db S/N ratio is not exactly stellar for an amp either.


... so people won't buy higher end speakers anymore.
Somehow I'm thinking that companies like Wilson, Avalon, B&W, Magnepan, Quad, etc. will still be here tomorrow. :)

rw