Expert: Cleggsan - 9/20/2009

Question
i have a 580 watt amp and i am trying to install a system with some 12 inch speakers. i dont know what size watage speakers i should get, should i try to match the amp watage or what?????????

Answer
No.  Speaker wattage ratings as advertised are fictional figures.

The most important thing to match is impedance between amp and speaker.  The next thing to look at is speaker sensitivity.  The higher the better - usually, but not always.  It depends on what you want to achieve for sound quality.  

As a general rule, sensitivity of under 90 db requires bigger power to get good loudness.  Over 90 db will produce big sound with small amp.

The best thing to do is visit a shop where you can audition a few potential speakers;  read up on the Internet a few reviews by googling or binging around.  This self-education is essential for your own best interest.  

Finally, don't forget the enclosure;  it will make a very big difference in how the speaker will sound in your installation.

Best wishes,

C

PS:  If you google the words:  choosing a loudspeaker

you will come up with several very informative ideas and suggestions on how to start the decision making experience.  It's worth taking a few minutes to read through some of these comments.