Kavin Tyler 
How many watts is suitable for speakers? What is the ideal wattage to get clear and rich sound? The last thing you want is a sound system which produces slight sound, low quality and maybe tinny sound. It would be best to be smart when looking for watts for speakers, as power is not everything.
If you are using a high wattage, you may use more power than you will need. It may lead to distortion and a decrease in quality. Here is a guide to how many watts is good for speakers.
How many watts is good for speakers?
Audiophiles will tell you that 50 watts are the ideal amount of power to operate if you use an app for your speakers. It is because it produces clear sound, rich and yet not too loud. You do not want your speakers to be too loud as you will damage them over time.
Ideally, it is best to be safe and not push your speakers to their limits in terms of volume. If you do this, then the chances are that distortion will occur. Distortion can lead to a poor listening experience when playing music or watching movies.
For example, if you listen with headphones and turn up the volume too much to handle, they will make a crackling sound. It is an example of distortion which you don’t want with speakers.
Wattage Rating System
If the speakers are rated at 100 Watts RMS or above, power consumption will not be a problem. For every watt above 100 Watts RMS on your stereo system, it will generate 1 decibel of power. It means that, for example, if you have a sound system that is 200 Watts RMS, you will get 6 decibels more than 100 watts.
As well as using wattage to get an idea about how powerful your speakers are, it is also helpful to look at the RMS value (Root Mean Square). RMS is a measurement of the deepest bass you can expect from your speakers. It would help if you were careful as some companies may provide an extremely high wattage on their speakers, but this does not necessarily mean they have a high RMS value.
RMS ratings are more important than the maximum power output as distortion is most likely at higher volumes. If you turn your speakers up to 100% on the max, then the chances are that you will start having distortion and low-quality sound.
If your speaker is very efficient (which means it does not need a high wattage to produce good sound) and has an RMS of around 80 watts or higher, this would be ideal for most listening situations.
Conclusion:
To work out how many watts is suitable for speakers, you need to consider the RMS value of the speakers. If they are over 80 watts RMS, they will most likely be compelling and efficient enough that you won’t need a tremendous wattage.
You can get an idea about your amplifier or stereo by looking at the wattage it has. If your amplifier is only 15 watts, you will not be getting anywhere near enough power to get good sound quality.
So, in summary, for every watt over 100 RMS that your speakers are rated at, they will generate 1 decibel of power. But sometimes, this is too much and can lead to distortion. The end goal is to get a good quality sound at a volume that is not too high and does not distort the music or movie you are listening to.
FAQs
Are 1000 watts good for a speaker?
It depends on the speaker. If they are a high-quality, efficient set of speakers with a good RMS value, then 1000 watts may be fine. But if you have an inefficient or lower quality speaker system, it is best to stay below 400 watts as distortion may occur at higher volumes.
How much does wattage cost?
Wattage does not cost anything by itself, but the price of your stereo system will determine the wattage you need. Since most people buy ready-made speakers these days, rather than making them themselves, you won’t be able to get high wattage speakers for a low price.
Are 120 watts good for speakers?
Power consumption will not be a problem if your speakers are rated at 120 watts RMS or above. You can calculate how many watts is good for speakers by looking at the RMS value of the speakers. If they are less than 100 watts RMS, then there is no point getting high powered amplifiers as you won’t see the benefit.
How much power do speakers need?
To work out how much power your speakers need, you should consider the number of decibels they produce per watt. You can get an idea from looking at the RMS value of your speakers and checking how many watts is suitable for speakers.
How many amps do I need to run a speaker system?
You will need either an amplifier with good wattage (usually over 100 decibels) or separate amplifiers to run speakers. If you plan to run your speakers through their independent amp, they would need to be around 80 watts RMS or higher.
