Mar 04, 2009 03:47 pm You cannot use the main outputs of a powered mixer to drive powered speakers. You can use your "line outs" if you have them. Powered speakers are looking for line level signals.
powered speaker question
Posted on Mar 04, 2009 03:25 pm
rayss
Member Since: Mar 04, 2009
hey if i get powered speakers what kind of mixer do i need. can i use a powered mixer or would it send power to the speaker and blow it.
if i have non powered speakers that say 400 watts maxpower 8 ohms can i use a pa that says it has 600 watts
thanks for your time
ray s
[ Back to Top ]
Mar 04, 2009 03:47 pm You cannot use the main outputs of a powered mixer to drive powered speakers. You can use your "line outs" if you have them. Powered speakers are looking for line level signals.
Mar 04, 2009 06:28 pm Hey Ray. BeerHunter is 100% correct. (Nice new Avatar BeerHunter) By putting a powered signal into a line level input, spells disaster.
The preamp in your speakers are looking for a signal that is only 1.23 volts max. (+4 dB) An amp can output around 20, 30, 45 volts and higher. So, if you enjoy a good fire... Please go right ahead.
Any non-powered mixer will run your speakers. Hell, your computer will run your self-powered speakers. So, brand name has nothing to do with it at all.
For your second choice. You really should not put a 600 watt speaker, on a 400 watt amp. If it were the other way around, you would be fine. But, by putting an amp that is lighter then the speakers, could lead to square waves.
Square waves is what happens when you clip a transistor. Or, any input or output of any audio device. You have reached the voltage limit of the transistor. And instead of increasing the wave any higher, it flattens out. Your wave actually looks like a square at that point. This tells the amp to go to full power... Hold it... Then let it go. So now your speaker is moving all the way out. Stay in position. And then move back.
This creates a lot of heat. And heat damages everything in electronics. By having a a speaker that can absorb more then the amp can deliver, is a bad thing.
Mar 05, 2009 07:14 am thanks you very much for the help. i understand a little more now.
Mar 09, 2009 12:33 pm In order to increase my knowledge, I wish to better understand a few of the statements made by Rob. Are you saying your speakers should be rated LESS than your amp? I always thought it should be the other way around. If your amp can put out 600W, and the speaker can handle only 300, they could mechanically hit their limit, or burn out from excess heat.
Also- square waves cause the amp to put out lots of high frequencies (at 3x,5x,etc of the original sine wave), and these frequencies can often get routed to the tweeters, and exceed their power levels. I've personally blown tweeters in speakers that were rated at 100W, with 40W amplifiers. BUT, that doesn't mean you should use speakers rated lower than the amp, just that you should never run an amp to severe clipping levels. (a 100W amp driving 40W speakers could blow both the woofer and the tweeter, maybe even before clipping)
Please clarify. I'm pretty new at this, and greatly respect your experience, but need to know more.
Mar 09, 2009 12:37 pm Personally, I always went for evenly matched when possible, to under rated you can blow them, too over rated they may not operate at their peak efficiency...
Mar 10, 2009 10:20 pm wattage in the cottage is the key gentlemen. you dont ever have to worry about overpowering speakers, just over driving them. get some power (the old days it used to be twice the rating of the drivers, but with the advent of high powered drivers, its getting real expensive)then drive with common sense. that gives you mucho headroomo, and keeps the waves with the flattop haircuts away.
Mar 10, 2009 10:22 pm Oh yea, and dont take a powered output and connect it to a line level input, thats just crazy talk!
Mar 10, 2009 11:58 pm What? Bonfires on the stage are a bad thing???
Mar 11, 2009 08:07 pm Quote:
What? Bonfires on the stage are a bad thing???
What, Hendrix is on the loose again?
|
Related Forum Topics: |
If you would like to participate in the forum discussions, feel free to register for your free membership.