I need real info on the Klipsch in walls

[GRCRYSTYK]

Hello,..

I need help with this if there are any that have had experience with them. They aren't rated to handle but around 50 watts rms, Given a good clean amp is used, just what do you all think I could get away with? I have had my eye on the Outlaw 770, but goodness thats 200 rms. I will be running Rf-7's on the front end, but due to room restrictions, I need to use in walls for surrounds.

Thanks GRCRY,...>>>--->

[skonopa]

Now, I highly doubt you will be using all 200 watts of that Outlaw 770 amp. I don't know which model in-wall speaker you are looking at, but I checked the specs of the RCW-5. That is ratted at 94db at 1 watt at 1 meter. That means if you feed it a single watt, you will get 94db when standing 1 meter in front of it. Now, every 3db up represents a doubling of power. To get 97db will require 2 watts, to get 100 db will require 4 watts, etc. At the 50 watts RMS, you should be getting about 110db sustained. That is pretty darn loud, and it will handle 200 watts peaks. it is unlikely you will be listening to things that loud very often. Getting something like that Outlaw 770 will give you plenty of headroom, thus you can crank it up and be certain that your amp will deliver without distorting (the real cause of many speaker failures).

Just earlier this evening, I borrowed an IASCA competition CD from the car audio salesman at the local dealer and tried it on my home system. Using the SPL test tracks, I got a solid 120db sustained with peaks much higher. My friggan B&K amp did not so much as strain and did not even distort! I would not want to try that with, say the stock amp that comes in my Denon AVR3802 receiver.

To cut to the chase, you will be fine using a good quality amp such as the Outlaw - to be honost, go for the more powerful if you can afford it. You may not necessarily need it, but it is nice to know it is there when you do.

[Griffinator]

He's right. If you ever try to push that much power through those speakers, you'll be deaf.

I carry in-wall speakers that will take that kind of wattage, but they're REALLY expensive - like $2000 a pair expensive.

So the net result of my post is - listen to Steve - you're going to use your volume knob intelligently - don't worry about having too much headroom for your speakers. If anything, that Outlaw will sound better at lower output levels.

[skonopa]

Just to expand on my posting above, I did some calculations. My RF-7s are rated at 102db/1w/1m. At that 120db sustained I got when I did that SPL test (use earplugs if you going to do that), I estimate that I was only pushing around 64 or so watts/channel on an amp that is rated (conservately at that) at 200 watts per channel RMS. Now, the on the peaks, I may have hit the full 200 watts, though. That B&K amp had plenty of power to spare, but there is no way in hell that I would ever want to listen to my system at those kinds of levels during normal use. During normal use, I bet I am barely using 4 watts, if even that. I bet that B&K never gets out of Class A operation.

This would most likely be the same case for you.

Now, I bet there is going to be the "Why are you using so much amp if you cannot even use half of its rated capabilities". Well, you get alot more headroom with an amp like that, plus it is not just mere wattage. I don't know at what current the Outlaw provides those watts, but my B&K is rated at 75amp of current. Plenty of power to drive those speakers very cleanly and accuratly.

Also a reason why people get a wonderul sound with tube amps that may have only 5 watts to them. (Just check out the 2-channel sectionn).

The short of it - it does not take much to get those speakers going!

[minn_male42]

for furthur info....

when you are measuring peak spl (sound pressure levels) in your room, you are limited by your meter's response time.... a low cost radio shack meter will not respond to many very fast transient peaks......

i use klipsch KLF-30's powered by a carver professional ZR1000 amplifier.... the amp is rated for 225 watts into 8 ohms... when i listen to the telarc SACD recording of the 1812 overture and turn it up to a very comfortable level overall.... the peaks on the cannon shots pushed the led's on my amp into brief clipping ...in other words - for a very short time the amp was pushing more than 225 watts into my KLF-30's.....

i work at an electronics distributor and have access to a Goldline SPL120...a $350 spl meter.... measuring those brief peaks only measured 121 db on this meter.... if you do the math.... the resulting db rating should have been much higher... (the KLF-30's have the same 102db @ 1watt @1meter rating as the RF-7's)...

so...yes a higher power amp can be used very effectively with very efficient speakers.....

[GRCRYSTYK]

Guys,..Thanks a ton. I'm sure you saw the other post I made. I'm not sure if it must have been a different day, and I forgot I made the first. Anyway, I really appreciate you input. The speaker dinamics you all speak of is something I have known for years, but I haven't had as much experience with this as a lot of you. It sure seemed to me that in this case, there is a huge spread between, normal RMS ratings on the speakers, and the available RMS wattage from the amp. I'm sure the 7's will be ABLE to use much more of it than the surrounds, and knowing myself,...I'm afraid at times I will push it to the breaking point. I guess I may have to go with it, and if I teach myself a painful lesson in the process sometime,...It usually only takes once.

Thanks again,....I am off the the races with this. When all is up and running, I will let you all know how it goes.

GRCRY,...>>>--->