The Steel Guitar Forum

Is there a correct ratio between the power output of an amplifier and the wattage rating of a particular speaker for optimum
performance and tone.

As a general rule, no. The wattage or power rating of a speaker is the maximum power it can handle.

Most speakers or speaker cabinets have a continuous (RMS) rating that for musical instrument purposes is good enough. PA speaker cabinets have a little different ratings game. Generally there is a program power rating (about 2x RMS rating), and a peak power rating (about 4x rating). Then for maximum clean acoustic power, you purchase an amplifier equal in capability to the program power rating.

This extra info is just in case you bump into the other power levels.

Jack is correct.

A bit of trivia. Power and "power ratings" has been the subject of much discussion over the years since electronics first came into being.

It is probably one of the most abused and missunderstood of all "ratings". Here is some examples:

1. Maximum power

2. Music power

3. Peak power

4. Peak music power

5. peak music power measured with a regulated power supply rather than the units own power supply

6. True (continuous) RMS power (using the units own power supply)

7. Rms power using a regulated external power supply.

All of these are phoney except item 6.

Just about any engineer and manufacturer knows this full well. Oh how it has been abused by salesman and advertisements all over the world.

To give you an idea of just how ridiculous it can get: an amplifier capable of putting out a maximum of 25 watts true RMS power, can be legally rated and advertised as 50, 100 and even as high as 400 WATTS, IF they accompany the rating with one of the above "cliches" (in small print of course!).

"Oh what we conceive once we begin to deceive."

Go with God. He never deceives,

carl

C Dixon & Jack Stoner...

I agree with you, I use the rule "The speaker MUST be able of handle-ing at least 2X time the rated power output of the amp.
This insures that we will have no problemm with the speaker crappin' out in the middle of a important gig.

Take the Peavey 1203 (122e cabinet) for example, I use it (actually 2 of them) driven' by a 150 watt power amp, as I really don't run then at full volume levels and the sound is a full rich sound to the audience.

There are two excellent articles about loudspeaker power requirements, free to download at this link, "Speaker Power Requirements FAQ" and "Danger-Low Power!".

http://www.jblpro.com/pages/tech_lib.htm