Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Would anyone know if it is possible to test a receivers output on each channel in relation to a certain volume level? I need to find the max safe volume level for my klipsch speakers. Currently, if I turn it up too loud it blows some of the speakers. I need a way to check it for example at volume level - 30 then turn the volume level up to -6 and check it again. Is this possible without creating a short that would blow something in the receiver? Thank you, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heritage_Head Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Would anyone know if it is possible to test a receivers output on each channel in relation to a certain volume level? I need to find the max safe volume level for my klipsch speakers. Currently, if I turn it up too loud it blows some of the speakers. I need a way to check it for example at volume level - 30 then turn the volume level up to -6 and check it again. Is this possible without creating a short that would blow something in the receiver? Thank you, Clint. Blows some speakers[*-)]? What speakers? What avr are you runing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 17, 2013 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2013 Part of the problem is it's not the power so much as when the receiver starts to put out distortion, the distortion is what kills speakers. A receiver with 50 WPC will distort much faster when turned up than one with 150 WPC. (numbers are just for example) Also you didn't say what speakers or receiver, some speakers can run you out of a room with clean volume at 50 WPC and others which are less efficient need 100 or much more WPC to even get to a decent volume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Sorry I didn't list anything. Pioneer vsx1123k receiver, 6 klipsch kb15 bookshelf speakers, 2 kf28 floor speakers connected to 2 emotiva xpa100 amps that are connected to the two front preouts on receiver, 2 sw350 subs. when listening to music I operated the receiver in extended stereo mode. I realize the amps are over powered for the speakers and the receiver is most likely underpowered for the bookshelves when using all 6 channels. The kf28's were bought because that is all I could afford right now, and I was figuring on upgrading in the future. This is the reason I would like to find the max safe operating level, for now. Thank you, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axz Hout Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Sorry I didn't list anything I have since posted my setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I am surprised that the avr at -6 is causing the speakers to blow.MCACC will usually calibrate everything so that it is safe to go to 0 on the avr. Are the bookshelf speakers set to large and what is the xo? The easy answer to your question is not to play things that loud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Would anyone know if it is possible to test a receivers output on each channel in relation to a certain volume level? Yes. You'll need a multimeter and a test tone recorded at full scale. Email me through the forum, and I'll send you one.Is this possible without creating a short that would blow something in the receiver?Yes. It is possible to check without blowing anything up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 I will try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 I am surprised that the avr at -6 is causing the speakers to blow.MCACC will usually calibrate everything so that it is safe to go to 0 on the avr. Are the bookshelf speakers set to large and what is the xo? The easy answer to your question is not to play things that loud.The bookshelf speakers are set to small, don't know the xo, as far as not playing that loud, that is what i'm trying to find out, how loud IS too loud. I'm trying to determine at what volume level on the receiver is too loud for the current setup. Thank you, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 To have "head room" the amp should have at least 3db more than the speakers. That is twice the power. Get a VOM, connect it to one front channel. Set to o - 30 volts AC scale. Run it to 20 volt peaks, see what your db -+ reads. Should be loud and safe. chrisShould this be done with the speaker connected or disconnected on the the channel that I am checking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axz Hout Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Y Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Would anyone know if it is possible to test a receivers output on each channel in relation to a certain volume level? Yes. You'll need a multimeter and a test tone recorded at full scale. Email me through the forum, and I'll send you one.Is this possible without creating a short that would blow something in the receiver?Yes. It is possible to check without blowing anything up. Received file thank you, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Thanks for all the replies, this gives me a lot of things to try, if I figure anything out i'll post here again. Thank you, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted May 17, 2013 Moderators Share Posted May 17, 2013 If you have a phone there is a few different app's for measuring DB's, some may even be free, you could measure how loud your listening to have some idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 If you have a phone there is a few different app's for measuring DB's, some may even be free, you could measure how loud your listening to have some idea.Thank you for your response, I have a sound meter from radio shack, nothing special but it seems to do the job. Thanks, Clint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derrickdj1 Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 The bookshelf speakers are set to small, don't know the xo, as far as not playing that loud, that is what i'm trying to find out, how loud IS too loud. I'm trying to determine at what volume level on the receiver is too loud for the current setup. Thank you, Clint. The reason I ask if they were set to large is because that could be a problem. I had the VB 15 bookself and the VS 14 speaakers were rated 75-300 and 50-200 watts respectively. I ran both off a 200 watt amp to 0 without a problem, I did not do this for an extended time because it is to loud for me. It will be interesting to see what you find as the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quiet_Hollow Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 Received file.... Good! Play the tone with the AVR volume level set to -30 and measure the AC voltage across one set of terminals going out to the KB51. What's the value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K5SS Posted May 17, 2013 Share Posted May 17, 2013 I had the previous year of that receiver and it did terrible on the bench test. 25 watts per channel, with 5 channels driving. The Emotivas are beasts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clint S Posted May 17, 2013 Author Share Posted May 17, 2013 Received file.... Good! Play the tone with the AVR volume level set to -30 and measure the AC voltage across one set of terminals going out to the KB51. What's the value? I must not be doing it correctly, or I don't have the proper meter. On ac volt I get nothing, on ac current 40Amp I get 1.0, would I do better with an analog meter? I am attempting to check it at the output on the back of the receiver. I am also using the file you sent me over airplay through iTunes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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