I meant to say, "Putting 55W to a 40WRMS speaker is NOT going to hurt the speaker..."

So where would the extra 95W be heard in this scenario. Perhaps you're saying that a head-unit connected to a 55W amp, would have it's volume turned up, to match the output of a 150W amp, set at a lower volume.
If the 55W amp makes volume 'X' at 80% of the head-units volume, the 150W amp would make that same volume 'X' at 50% of the h.u's volume.

That makes sense. So does having 100W available per channel from the amp allow the head-unit and amplifier to be tuned so that there isn't an extra noise being created through the process of amplification?

Weaker amps will generally be set to work "harder" to achieve higher outputs. There are noticeable differences when this is so, isn't there?

 

more headroom generally equates to less noise a little dynamic power for midbass. less heat generated(or actually more dissipated through the larger heat sink). Less stress on the components(less heat). someone with a well trained ear would be able to pick apart which system had the better amp. but in 95% of installs out there using factory locations with speakers mounted the OEM doors grill etc. The difference at the same listening level is negligable.

 

When people say that the only draw back of running a pair of 100WRMS speakers, for example, on a 40WRMS amp is that they're not getting the most out of their speakers, they're mistaken. The problem will be that they trying to get too much out of the amp, and then the adverse effects that follow that.

So by having an amp that is capable of 100W output, the listening is going to be operating their equipment at settings that should allow that equipment to last longer...

 

Bottom line is the manufacturer rates the speaker for a given frequency range. Tighten up that range, in particular raising the low-end cutoff and the speaker will suddenly handle a lot more power. I have been running JL XR series 5.25" comps in my trucks for years @ 150WRMS per set without any problems. They are rated for 50 or so, but cutting them off @ 400hz seems to help.....I probably don't use more than 40w or so on a routine basis but the extra headroom means the sound is very stable (for lack of a better way of putting it) no matter how loud I turn it up.....

HTH

 

BigRed, what, if anything, do you have for speakers that are tasked with playing 200-400Hz? You must have some mid-bass specific drivers... I can't imagine anyone crossing their low-pass for their sub that high.

Again, its all a personal preference, and depends on what options your equipment makes available to you. I'll sacrifice volume for low-end output any day. I prefer the fullness of that sound. But again, if you have the gear that offers you both a full sound, with more volume, then I'd go for that too. lol

 

In my worktruck, each door has the compsets mentioned above and a pair of Orion MB6s.....they are doing 80-400hz with 150w each driver....seems to be working out OK, I have had no problems with this setup in 2 trucks.....