A question about power distribution?

[musiqlover 10+ year member]

Right now I plan on removing my rear speakers and just leaving the fronts. I have an amp hooked up to the fronts with these specs:

# 50 watts RMS x 4 at 4 ohms

# 75 watts RMS x 4 at 2 ohms

# 150 watts RMS x 2 at 4 ohms

My front speakers specs:

5.25" 60 rms x 2 @ 4ohms.

If I happen to decide on putting rear fills in the future how will the power get distributed between all these speakers? I understand that my amp can supply 50 RMS between 4 speakers, so, if I already have two in the front that are using 60 watts each how much power do I have left for the backs? I'm not quite sure how the amplifier is working this all out. And since I only have 2 speakers hooked up, how could may amp be supplying so much power (150 x 2) when the speakers themselves only require 60 each.

Can someone please clear up the confusion? I've had someone in the past put the system together and I want to be a DIYer like everyone else now. Thanks

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[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The rating for the speakers in terms of power has no bearing on how much they need or how much they will draw from the amp. Unless you bridge the amp, which it sounds like you don't have the know-how to do), the amp will only provide 50W to your front speakers and then only at full volume with the gain set correctly.

 

[musiqlover 10+ year member]

Just to be clear, you're saying that unless I bridge the amp, I will receive 50 watts per speaker even I have only two speakers hooked up? And if that's the case, if I add to the rears, I'll be getting the same wattage (@ 50 watts)? Oh boy, that means I need to really beef up my amp then if I want to consider adding any decent speakers

 

[dipitydoo 10+ year member]

in stereo, 1 pair of 4 ohm speakers will net you 50w per speaker. add in those rear fill speakers, and you get 37.5w per speaker. with your current setup of a pair of speakers, looks like the amp is a decent match for them.

 

[musiqlover 10+ year member]

in stereo, 1 pair of 4 ohm speakers will net you 50w per speaker. add in those rear fill speakers, and you get 37.5w per speaker. with your current setup of a pair of speakers, looks like the amp is a decent match for them.

I'm sorry, I think more confused now. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/confused.gif.e820e0216602db4765798ac39d28caa9.gif Where did you get the number 37.5 from? And at 4 ohms, the speakers can be supplied at 50w x 4. so that's 50 w per speaker. Where does the remaining 37.5w per rear come from?

I've been desperately trying to understand resistance but, I find it difficult in applying to putting the system together.

I understand ohms are measurements of resistance and the higher the ohms, 8 as an example, the more the speaker will resist a signal from the amp. The lower the ohms, 2 as an example, the more likely they can get distorted, but, the more power the amp can supply to the speakers.

Now how do you put this all together when you read something as 50 x 4 @ 4 ohms and 150 x 2 @ 4 ohms, etc? I just want ot figure out how people determine the appropriate setup.

 

[helotaxi 5,000+ posts]

The 37.5 came from him failing to read that you have a 4 channel amp.

50 watts per channel is more than enough for most sane people