Quote Originally Posted by Ian McLoud
OK,
I have an old Sony reciever STS-DE305 (175w) It has 2 channels with 2 outputs per channel.

I recently bought 2 Klipsch Synergy 1 speakers- (300watt max) i was told my reciever had no chance of blowing them out.

I hooked them both up to the A channel and had the B channel off. Then I proceeded to pump them up very loud.They lasted about 5 hours before they almost completley died. I returned them at no cost to myself, thank you best buy, but I was wondering why that happened.

When I explained it to the guy at Best Buy, he was so perplexed, "that shouldn't have happened." I am aware that the employees there are not audiophiles, but I am simply trying to get some speakers that will be VERY loud (not nessesarily great quality)- without blowing out- and can be put facing out my window at parties with 200-300 college students getting rowdy and drunk.

The klipsch synergy SF-1 is rated at 100 watts cont. and 400 watts peak (not 300watts). System a+b are the same channel. Just a speaker switch to control 2 sets of speakers. Never heard of a 175 watt 2 channel sony rec. What died first the tweeters? Probably clipped them to death with distorted power. Speakers are less likely to be damaged with too much power rather then not enough. I would say if only one speaker died it was a defect. If both speakers died you killed them (not a defect). Most speakers buzz,sometimes smoke and spark when overpowered before they die.

What your lookin for are CERWIN VEGA'S! thats it. If you want a speaker that you can abuse its the only one. some of these will handle 400-450 watts cont.