Speaker Breakin Period

[billyo]

i tend to agree with Lonman, amps should be higher rated than the speakers, if not amps would work harder to bring out the full sound of the cabinets, and this will lead to clipping...

[Musicman51]

So true, an underpower amp is the worse piece of equipment you could own. However, there are exceptions to everything. Depending on what you are going to use the speaker power situation for. But as a general rule, i've never fried a speaker cab by using an underpowered amp, in any situation i've performed at. But i can't say i haven't blown one the other way. If i know i'm going to need more power i take more. I have at times whished i'd had a larger more powerful amp, but i got by with using a bit of common sense. I purchased my new LCD desk top color monitor from Markertek Broadcast Supply, it is actually 5.6" to be exact, and it was $229.00 they work great. The brand name is "Delvcam" you can mount them almost anyplace, 12 Volts, and it runs off a wall wart, and if you turn the screen upside down, the picture remains upright. So there are many mounting options.
Billyo what type of speakers did you say you were using? just curious, not sure you mentioned that, sorry if i didn't catch it. And that sure sounds like a real neat setup system you have. Glad you have it all going well for you.
"May of the home speakers (woofers) have a foam surround at the outer edge of the cone to allow more cone movement for low end frequencies. This foam rots from age and humitity. It will also stretch if the speaker is over driven with much power at the low frequency spectrum and this will somtimes cause the voice coil to rub a little in the magnetic gap that it travels in. If it starts rubbing the coating on the windings of the voice coil the coating will start coming offf and it is possible for the coil to burn in spots until it opens up. The speaker is dead that point. Hope this helps."
Walt you are spot on my man, i have a Peavey Black Widow 1501 Shallow Basket steel guitar speaker, i have 4 of them to be exact. And i took two of these fantastic papar cone speakers, and repaced the magnets with their new Neodymium replacement mags. And the first thing i ran into was that stupid white foam. Peavey told me to wipe the basket clean, and make sure that burnt stuff is all out, then to bolt down the neodymium magnet. I like peavey for the fact that their baskets and mags are field replaceable. And you are in the right direction with that speaker break in as well...

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[billyo]

i have a pair of Mackie SRM 450 that i used for my show ,and a pair of Mackie 1521z for big venues, a pair of 6" ES (Especial Editon ) KRK Rokit studio monitors paired with a KRK v12s11 v series 10' sub, good enough to used for small clubhouse type parties, and a pair of KRK 8" studio monitors paired with the same 10' subs good enough for backyard parties and all systems has a separate mackie boards and i also have the same type (KRK"s) speakers/subs in my studio that is in my garage.. ( all Mackie/KRK speakers are powered )

[ddouglass]

I also agree that an under powered amp will cause as many problems as over-powering. If you use a 1000 watt amplifier into 250 watt speakers you will blow out the speaker as easily as using a 40 watt amp into 500 watt speakers. So basically try to match your speakers and amp close enough to be able to get the best sound out of both. Your better quality speakers will list a minimum and a maximum power rating.
Now the next question is what percentage do you set your amps at for the optimum output? 50%, 75% or 100%? All of my training has taught me that 75% gives you optimum performance with no distortion or clipping.

[Lonman]

Originally Posted by ddouglass

I also agree that an under powered amp will cause as many problems as over-powering. If you use a 1000 watt amplifier into 250 watt speakers you will blow out the speaker as easily as using a 40 watt amp into 500 watt speakers. So basically try to match your speakers and amp close enough to be able to get the best sound out of both. Your better quality speakers will list a minimum and a maximum power rating.
Now the next question is what percentage do you set your amps at for the optimum output? 50%, 75% or 100%? All of my training has taught me that 75% gives you optimum performance with no distortion or clipping.

I HAVE blown speakers with amps that weren't matched to the speakers - all in live situations however & with heavy rock. When I replaced the amps with the power that the speakers recommended (or a little higher) I never had another problem.
Again I have known SEVERAL people/companies that have blown speakers/drivers with amps that weren't even close to the program ratings of the speaker.
I have always been taught by SEVERAL sound engineers - including 3 that have worked with Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Soundgarden - to open the amps wide open as the mixer is the the pre-amp controller.

[billyo]

when i used to used power amps i used to have it all the way up 100%, and my board is up to unity gain, and use my channel gain to turn up/down the sound...i have the volume to 12'0clock on my powered speakers and use my board & channel fader to turn the volume up/down

[madjim- with the Lord]

Originally Posted by Lonman

I have always been taught by SEVERAL sound engineers - including 3 that have worked with Nirvana, Pearl Jam & Soundgarden - to open the amps wide open as the mixer is the the pre-amp controller.

Very correct! When using rack mount amps I always turn the volume full then back it down just a hair for a little headroom.

Jim

[Musicman51]

I've never seen any live acts ever run their power amps to the screaming point just to hold the power back by another means. Kinda like holding the gas pedal down to the floor then holding the car back to the correct speed with the break...lol Sorry i'm just too clumsy and not brave enough to try it.