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Picking the right amp - what sort of power do I need?

Music, especially modern bass-heavy styles, require more power than speech only systems.

Speech: 50w - 100 w
Worship Band: 200w - 400w
Speech/light music/singing: 100w - 200w
Modern Worship band: 400w +

NB Speaker efficiency is as important as watts.
ie. 2 speakers with the same power capacity but different sensitivity ratings. One rated at 93dB SPL (1W, 1M) the other 90dB SPL (1W, 1M). A difference of 6dB, equals double the power. It takes twice the amp power to obtain the same loudness from the speaker with the lower sensitivity. So choose the speaker with the highest sensitivity.

Exactly how many watts do I need?

We often get asked "How many watts is that system?".
You cannot hear a watt. You can only hear what a watt will produce. As important is the speaker efficiency and the frequencies addressed. Modern music has a lot of bass and will demand more power (watts) than speech, for example at the same decibel volume. Our bodies will shake when bass is played but will not when a flute is played at the same volume. Full frequency music needs more power. Speakers are destroyed when amplifiers are over-driven beyond their design limits. Please seek advice when system matching.


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St Margaret’s, Ipswich
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All Saints, Burnham-on-Crouch, Essex
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Old Independent Church, Haverhill
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Linton Free Church, Cambridgshire
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Steve Thompson
City Gates Christian Centre, Ilford
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Holy Trinity, Claygate, Surrey