Continues watts vs. peak watts

[someguy03]

I was looking at the specs for a speaker and it was: 75 watts maximum continuous (300 watts peak)

Does this mean they are only 75 watt speakers? How does the 300 watts peak thing work into the equation?

I wanted to use them on a 110W surround sound reciever as rear speakers. Would it blow it if the speakers are only 75 watts?

[MikeyBC]

They're just numbers, you'll be fine with 110 watts on 75 watt speakers. Its actually better to have more power than not enough, speakers dont like a clipped signal from an underpowered amp. You can drive a 50 watt speaker with a 500 watt amp, as long as you dont drive it into distortion. If it sounds ok then it is ok as far as i'm concerned.

[Florian]

I agree with Mikey,

i would like to add that some speakers will not be affected by a clipping amp BUT will kill the amp instead. For instance, my old Krell KSA150 (aprox.100lbs) died on my Apogee Scinitlla. Ok, the Scintilla is a true pain to drive, its a good example..

Flo

[N. Abstentia]

Yes, don't worry about it. Your receiver will never come close to producing 110 watts so you're fine.

The power rating on yoru receiver is probably more inflated than the ratings on the speakers

[Florian]

Yes, don't worry about it. Your receiver will never come close to producing 110 watts so you're fine.

The power rating on yoru receiver is probably more inflated than the ratings on the speakers

Yup

[Pat D]

Yes, don't worry about it. Your receiver will never come close to producing 110 watts so you're fine.

The power rating on yoru receiver is probably more inflated than the ratings on the speakers

In the US, there are standards for that sort of thing, and if the spec says 110 watts into a specified load over a certain frequency range, it had better meet it. Many A-V receivers are pretty formidable with only one or two channels driven.

But really, unless one plays the system awfully loud, the average power output is probably only a few watts, with plenty of headroom for short term peaks.

[Mr Peabody]

To answer your question, continuous or RMS is the power rating your speakers can handle for extended periods at that point. Peak is what the speaker is supposed to handle for very short bursts. Usually peak rating is around double RMS, it's interesting that your speakers peak is 4 times as high as the given RMS.

I also agree, the speakers will be fine with your receiver. Rears usually only get short bursts of sound anyway and just because you have 110 watts don't mean you will listen to it at that volume. The main thing is to keep a clean signal to any speaker, clean being undistorted or no clipping.

[kexodusc]

Speaker ratings are useless, especially when they quote RMS - that's a dead giveaway that electrical rather than mechanical considerations were rated.
The standards rate the electrical capacity of the voice-coil before it fries. The problem is almost all speakers, except large, multi-woofer systems (and even many of those) will reach their excursion limitations long before the electrical limitations. Current "ratings" don't account for this.
I've seen good quality woofers found in $4000 speakers have ratings of 200 watts RMS, but in the enclosures they were in 20 watts would be dangerous below 40 Hz frequencies.