How Many Watts Do My Computer Speakers Need – A Guide to Multimedia Speakers - PrimeCables.ca Blog (2024)
So you want to buy multimedia computer speakers but you don’t know how many watts you need. Most of us think, ‘The more, the better!’ This isn’t necessarily true.
In home audio design, there’s a lot of dispute about this question. A lot of people have misconceptions around audio or choose speakers based off how they look in design rather than the specifications that sit behind the look.
When computer speakers give a wattage amount, it’s not always clear what this means. There isn’t any indication whether this is a maximum, average, peak, or if it’s a sustainable level of wattage. It’s also not easy to find this information. Even digging online into the manufacturer’s specifications, it’s not uncommon to walk away mystery unsolved.
Did you know a 200-watt amp puts out the same power as a 10-watt amp – it’s true! Listening occurs at average levels, oftentimes using less than 1 watt on a speaker. At a specific volume setting, in a given speaker load, amplifiers give the same amount of power as long as they’re capable of giving said amount.
With multimedia speakers, these aren’t meant to be used for big events where you want the volume at an uncomfortably loud level. At most, you may never need more than 10 or 20 watts.
For speakers like these to work, you want to use an amplifier that matches the wattage. A 1,000 watt amplifier can work with a 50-watt multimedia speaker and won’t do any damage it as long as you don’t turn up the amplifier to exceed the limitations of the speaker.
With a set of desktop-powered multimedia speakers, the amplifier is built into the speaker so this risk doesn’t exist. If you want a simple, high-power computer audio setup, desktop-powered speakers are the way to go.
Now let’s assume you’re using your speakers for music. If you aren’t expecting to throw a party and have them rock the house, 50 watts is more than adequate for desktop computer speakers. Comparatively, the average TV audio amplifier only gives out up to 10 watts per speaker.
A listenable volume is achievable with much less than what you need in power. The added wattage in a desktop multimedia speaker at 50 watts is going to be loud, clear, enjoyable, and you won’t find them expensive. In general, the more watts, the louder and cleaner an audio signal’s going to be. That said, a 50-watter is perfect for desktop computers.
Find the ultimate multimedia speakers in Canada for desktop computers, laptops, and home theater systems from PrimeCables today.
On the other hand, between 15 and 30 watts is the ideal range for the wattage of the speaker for home use. The majority of homeowners believe that 20 watts are an appropriate amount.
speakers vary in terms of their output. A 40 watt amplifier would be fine indoors, in medium sized rooms, for music if you don't want it loud. Outdoors, is less clear to me as I have not worked with outdoors audio systems much.
One watt=90 dB. One hundred watts, or 100X more power=110 dB. That's a huge increase in power but only a "doubled double" (4X) increase in terms of perceived volume levels!
If you've calculated that your system is going to use 500 watts (a common number for a straightforward gaming build), choosing a PSU with 600 or 650-watt output could be a good option, as it will give you some overhead to work with, and also allow for potential future upgrades.
For a room of approx 6*6 square meters,a 20W clean output from a speaker is more than enough. I live in a room of approx 3m*3m area. And my 10W amplifier-speaker system is more than enough. My ears cannot tolerate such a huge audio power for a long time.
Generally, a speaker with an RMS power rating between 15 to 40 watts can provide satisfactory sound quality in a typical home environment when matched to a suitable amplifier. For larger rooms, speakers with an RMS rating of 50 watts or more are advisable.
A 1000-watt speaker will be twice as loud as a 100-watt speaker. That also means, however, that if you want to double the volume again, you are going to need 10,000 watts to do so. At the end of the day, a difference of a few hundred watts (or even 1000) means far less than a difference of 6 or 10dB.
The big takeaway here is that while the number of Watts of a speaker shouldn't be overlooked, it doesn't tell you how loud a speaker can go. The wattage also doesn't indicate sound quality or possible lifespan but can be really useful when you're looking to buy a suitable amplifier.
How loud is a 10 watt speaker? In addition to the relevant items Micah mentions, it is good to realise that an acoustic power of 10 W is really high: sound power level 130 dB. The sound (pressure) level at 1 m distance of the speaker is then some 120 dB.
Assuming both are set to the maximum level, 3 db louder. 40 watts will create sound at twice the power of 20 watts, Decibels for power are 10 log x, where x is the power ratio. The logarithm of 2 is 0.3, 10 x 0.3 = 3.
For a small party with a few people in a small room, a speaker with a 50-100 watts wattage may be sufficient. For a medium-sized party with a moderate number of people in a medium-sized room, a speaker with a 100-200 watts wattage may be appropriate.
The power of the average TV speaker varies from 6 to 20W. This is fine for standard TV use, such as watching a TV show. For an intense movie or game sound experience, we recommend getting at least a separate soundbar.
Be aware that a 30 watt speaker is not meant for really super loud playing and avoid turning the volume up so high that it sounds distorted. 5 watts to a speaker is really quite loud in most homes. It should be enough to play music satisfactorily and not come anywhere near damaging the speaker.
It is definitely not safe to say a 500-watt speaker will go louder than a 200-watt speaker (though it is often the case). Besides, you also have to keep in mind that each time you double the power you only get 3dB more volume (all other things being equal), which in the grand scheme of things isn't all that much.
On average, laptops use about 30 to 70 watts of electricity. Large desktop and gaming computers use between 200 and 500 watts of electricity, on average. Using a computer for 8 hours per day will use about 12.2 kilowatt-hours of electricity per month and 146 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year.
Introduction: My name is Dan Stracke, I am a homely, gleaming, glamorous, inquisitive, homely, gorgeous, light person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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