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Thread: Yet another "Power" question

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
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    Default Yet another "Power" question

    Left and Right CMT 340 SE mains. Max cont. power = 240 watts. Max Short Term Peak Power = 400 watts.

    Lets say I go with an external amp, say an Emotiva XPA-2, which is rated at 300 watts RMS per channel @ 8 ohm (0.07% THD).

    Should I be safe so as long I don't crank the gain on the avr up all the way? I do occasionally like to listen very loud, but I don't want to ruin my 340's.

    I've read article after article about "power", but I still don't fully comprehend. I just want to know at what point would the xpa-2 be dangerous to my 340's? Thanks in advance!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
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    Manhattan Beach, California
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    Default Re: Yet another "Power" question

    You should be fine. The speakers will get very loud. Just be smart about it, if the speakers are distorting, then turn volume down.
    Last edited by curtis; 12-25-2015 at 10:50 AM.
    -curtis

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
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    Default Re: Yet another "Power" question

    Okay, thanks Curtis.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
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    10

    Default Re: Yet another "Power" question

    Too little power is much more dangerous than too much. In simple terms, listening at loud levels with a low powered amplifier puts you at a much higher risk of damaging your speaker via distortion. It's a lot more difficult to pump so much power through a speaker that you damage it that way, not impossible but much less likely in practical usage.

    Think of "power" as "clean headroom," an amplifier that can deliver 100 watts of continuous power at a very low distortion level will be able to play louder than a 20w amplifier before distortion levels become high enough to be dangerous.

    The CMT340SE mains are rated at 90dB sensitivity in an anechoic chamber and 92dB in-room meaning they will get extremely loud without needing too much power. As Curtis said, you'll definitely be fine.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
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    Default Re: Yet another "Power" question

    Quote Originally Posted by Remonster View Post
    Too little power is much more dangerous than too much. In simple terms, listening at loud levels with a low powered amplifier puts you at a much higher risk of damaging your speaker via distortion. It's a lot more difficult to pump so much power through a speaker that you damage it that way, not impossible but much less likely in practical usage.

    Think of "power" as "clean headroom," an amplifier that can deliver 100 watts of continuous power at a very low distortion level will be able to play louder than a 20w amplifier before distortion levels become high enough to be dangerous.

    The CMT340SE mains are rated at 90dB sensitivity in an anechoic chamber and 92dB in-room meaning they will get extremely loud without needing too much power. As Curtis said, you'll definitely be fine.
    Thanks Remonster. I have an xpa-2 on the way. Not sure I need it, but I wanted it.

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