Expert: Cleggsan - 8/17/2008

Question
I'm Buying a new pioneer head system for my car- how do i know what kind of wattage i should look for in speakers?  I mean to say; whats the difference in low watts compared to high?

Answer
In an ideal world the speaker power rating should match up with the power output rating of the amplifiers in the car audio system.

For example, if the Pioneer head unit is 50w/channel you would be wise to have speakers with a rating of 50w.  

In the ideal world the higher the power rating the louder it will playback the music program.

If the speaker were rated for 20w and the head unit rated at 50w then you could stand the chance of the amplifier burning up the speaker - if you turned the volume up too loud and overpowered it.

However, we are not in an ideal world.  The power ratings of loudspeakers are to a great extent fictional and cannot be relied on handle the power that is claimed for them.  It may be a general guideline but not a reliable indicator.  Some inexpensive speakers are highly overrated with claims of being able to handle 200w when in reality they will crash and burn with as little as 10w.  The better brands that are true high fidelity products tend to have more realistic ratings on them and you can rely on them more so than the inexpensive off-label products.

This should guide you adequately.  Make sure the speakers will fit into the space available in your vehicle.  The best way to know for sure is to go to www.cructhfield.com and find their link to "outfit my car" which will guide you through to those speakers sizes and shapes that will go into your car without any modifications.

Good Luck,
C