Tough speakers
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New member Username: QudioPost Number: 6 Registered: Jan-10 | I like parties, but as a result, I have had to have my speakers repaired more than once. They are only little bookshelf speakers, and I was thinking it would help to get a larger pair that could be a lot louder (and lower bass) without stress. I currently own B&W CM1 speakers. Thanks. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 11 Registered: Dec-09 | Every party and frat house I ever went to in college had a nice big set of Cerwin Vegas. They play so friggin' loud and are basically indestructible. Not the most refined sound, but if you want durability and loudness buy a set of CV's. |
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Silver Member Username: JrbayLivonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA Post Number: 931 Registered: Feb-08 | Great suggestion Shayne! I would add some plasticized contact paper to the top of each speaker to keep the partical board from separating. One other thought, and this would be only for the truly brutal environments, but stage monitors are built for such things! |
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Gold Member Username: GavdawgAlbany, New York Post Number: 1377 Registered: Nov-06 | I second the C-V suggestion, but will also throw in a used pair of Klipsch LaScalas if you can find them. |
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Platinum Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 14307 Registered: May-04 | . Cornwalls are the better party speaker, lots more thumpy bass. They're fairly cheap on the used market - the cost is in shipping. Both the Cornwalls and the LaScalas are 104dB w/1 watt input. You need high sensitivity - like the 104dB spec - to play loud without much power needed. That keeps the amplifier in a safe operating zone. The two Klipsch speakers are physically big boxes but they play loud with a table radio powering them. Look for speakers that are rated at no less than 92dB sensitivity and the higher the better. For every 3dB of sensitivity you add in the speaker you have done the equivalent of doubling your wattage. Stepping up from an 85dB speaker to a 95dB speaker is the equivalent of going from a 50 watt amplifier to a 500 watt amplifier. . |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3153 Registered: Oct-04 | I third the C-V! selection. I think the CLS Series is being closed out & replaced by the new XLS Series, but from what I can tell, the XLS is somewhat of a downgrade from the CLS. The well reviewed CLS-215 can be had for a song!...and FREE SHIPPING! |
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New member Username: QudioPost Number: 7 Registered: Jan-10 | That link you provided looks great! I recently bought an Anthem MCA20 in hopes of stopping my speakers from blowing and improving the sound in general.. I heard it is better to have more power. It helped a little, but not much. If I buy some of those CLS-215, will my amp be enough to power two from each channel? |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3154 Registered: Oct-04 | 225W + 97dB = Paint peeling off your walls |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 18 Registered: Dec-09 | i'm not familiar with that amp but a quick google search brings up some specs. It appears to push 200w at 8 ohms. I can't find at ohm rating on the Vega's so i'm assuming 8 ohms. With the sensitivity of the Vega's they will play much louder than the bookshelves you currently have. But, if were talkin' about running 4 large CV speakers and you want to shake the walls, I would look into to some amps that are made for the pro audio industry. Crown and QSC are a couple brands that i've used with good success. Huge power for small money, but not really designed for hi-fi sound. |
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New member Username: QudioPost Number: 8 Registered: Jan-10 | How much power should I be looking at if I want to get the most of 4 of these? |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3155 Registered: Oct-04 | I do think the Anthem MCA20 is 225W into 8-ohms, not that it matters much. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 19 Registered: Dec-09 | Well, the CV's say 500 watts max. I would recommend this. http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/XTi2000/ Someone else will have to verify this but here are my calculations. The Crown amp is only 2 channel but it's bridgable, so two Cv's per channel would be 4 Ohms stero. The Crown pushes 800w per channel at 4 ohm stereo. So each speaker would see 400 watts. Basically you're talking about night club volumes. Seriously, hearing damage loud! Sweetwater is a cool company to deal with and they have fast free shipping. Call and ask for Brian Loney and he will hook you up. Most PA gear uses 1/4 connectors so you are going to need some adapter cords to hook it all up properly. Just tell Brian what you are doing and he can hook you up. Emotiva has some huge power amps for fair prices if you want to go the hi-fi route. http://emotiva.com/xpa2.shtm This amp goes 500x2 at 4 ohms. |
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New member Username: QudioPost Number: 9 Registered: Jan-10 | Looks good! I will go ahead and get one of those Crown amps too and let you know how it goes! I might end up returning that Anthem amp (had it for a week) |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 20 Registered: Dec-09 | Trust me, 4 of those Cerwin Vegas and a 1,600 watt pro audio amp will send you running for the hills. Once you get this all setup you will just stand there and laugh at how loud this will be. I don't think you have any idea how much volume were talking about here compared to your current bookshelf speakers. LOL Have a blast and keep us updated on how it goes. P.S. You don't have any neighbors close do you? |
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Gold Member Username: GavdawgAlbany, New York Post Number: 1378 Registered: Nov-06 | I will tell you this.... you will end up with permanent hearing damage, and it wont be fun. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 21 Registered: Dec-09 | Probably right Gavin. Although it really wouldn't be any worse than working at a concert hall or being a bartender at a night club, only it's in your living room LOL. You have got to post pics when you are done. This isn't the first large home system i've helped with. I know a guy with a huge basement system with JBL speakers and 18" subs. I think it was around 8,000 watts of power. I couldn't be in the room without covering my ears and the bass made my teeth hurt. Stupid really! |
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New member Username: QudioPost Number: 10 Registered: Jan-10 | I have a pool area to cover and the inside of my house as well. No worries about neighbors here, they're far away. Otherwise, I will probably have the speakers put away when it is not party time. I have ordered the speakers and an XTi 4000 (wasn't that much more expensive than the 2000). Earplugs are my friend. |
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Gold Member Username: GavdawgAlbany, New York Post Number: 1381 Registered: Nov-06 | people that work at concert halls and bartenders at nightclubs (at least the intelligent ones) all wear earplugs, so that argument is invalid. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 739 Registered: Oct-07 | How long will ANY speaker of 92+db sensitivity withstand 200, 300 or even higher watttage? You're talking pro type amps with basically consumer speakers. 10 or 15 minutes would certainly stretch the limit. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 740 Registered: Oct-07 | Can I have the ear plug concession? |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 22 Registered: Dec-09 | I was just joking around Gavin. I play music and have been around loud music for most of my life. I have always tried to protect my ears but even with ear protection I still have some loss and ringing. It's not something to take lighty, maybe I shouldn't have cracked a joke. This system will hopefully not be played at full potential regularly. I'm sure it will be turned up on occasion for parties and such. |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 384 Registered: Aug-04 | Tough speakers? I have a pair of dysfunctional Cerwin-Vegas, that did 7 years in Rikers for Pre-Meditated Assualt of the High Frequencies and Murder of the Midrange. They both smoke, drink, watch XXXporno and chew glass...   That's some tough speakers. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 23 Registered: Dec-09 | Leo, I'm certainly no expert on speaker sensitivity, but the speaker we are talking about is 2- 15" woofers a 6.5 mid and a horn tweeter. It is designed to be loud and take a lot of power and thats why Cerwin Vega rated it for 500 watts. There's no difference in the power that a Pro amp and a consumer grade amp puts out. You can never have too much power. You just have to know how to control it and know the limitations of your speakers. What will destroy a speaker faster than anything is under powering the speaker and clipping the amp. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 24 Registered: Dec-09 | The xti 400 is an incredible amp, good choice. Your poolside parties will have plenty of sound. Just be careful, that amp is pushing 1200 watts and 4 ohms stereo. Like I said in my last post, you just have to learn the limitations of the speakers and respect them. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14317 Registered: Dec-04 | There's no difference in the power that a Pro amp and a consumer grade amp puts out.-Shayne Oh this oughtta be good. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 741 Registered: Oct-07 | No, Nuck, I'm going to suppress myself. I have a New Years resolution to try to acquire some impulse control. That being said, Please let us know how your 500watt Rated (sic) speakers react to a kilowatt of amp. By the way, whose watts? Peak, sorta Peak, RMS, Instantaneous Peak Power (IPP) or Russian Watts? Yes, speakers can be under powered and cooked. no doubt. But, how much power (in watts) do the speakers dissipate in heat? How long before temps rise and parametrics shift? (usually not for better) Sorry, the 500 watt rating is academic at best and given the cost of a real 500 watt amp, will rarely if ever be tested by CV users, who usually fall at the 100 watt receiver end of the scale. As an additional note to the OP, he says his speakers have been repaired 'more than once' which tells me that he has either lost control of his senses or the volume control. I figure that even WITH louder speakers and enough power to destroy them, some nitwit will STILL crank it up to destruction levels and the new speakers won't do any better then the current stuff. The reason I brought up pro level in the description of the amp is because they are designed to take that kind of abuse. That's why Bryston has such an incredible reputation and a warranty to match. Party on! I still want the earplug concession. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 742 Registered: Oct-07 | NMTree, Those speakers made the headlines down here. The charges later proved to be bassless. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 26 Registered: Dec-09 | They'll be fine. |
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Gold Member Username: DmitchellOttawa, Ontario Canada Post Number: 3489 Registered: Feb-07 | When I was in university we used my 2 4x12 Marshall cabinets as speakers for parties. Didn't sound good, but it was loud. |
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Silver Member Username: NmytreePost Number: 385 Registered: Aug-04 | LOL, Leo. And that's saying something....when it comes to Cerwin-Vega...haha |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 14321 Registered: Dec-04 | Pick and choose your watts, even pro stuff is overrated, always considering that they are designed with 105db easy to drive speakers in mind. Always remember the single resistor load for the test rating. Add some music and variying frequencies, then things change. The CV will take (nor need) any more than 50, I would guess. Maybe 100 froma very good (and expensive) amp like my fav old Classe 600wpc/4ohm 4000$ back then. I drove 1ohm car subs with that darlin' |
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New member Username: WireosPost Number: 5 Registered: Sep-09 | Well, These speakers are for huge parties and stage concerts... And if you're gonna make a party in the home with these speaker, you're gonna damage something. Go for something that's compact for home use. |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 27 Registered: Dec-09 | Hey Qudio, did you get everything in yet? Let us know when you get everything hooked up. |
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Bronze Member Username: QudioPost Number: 19 Registered: Jan-10 | Loud. Very loud. It was loud 100 feet away. It only ever hit the red once and that was an accident. I have all the speakers outside to strengthen the bass (most people are outside) and it really does more than I hoped for. It is like a concert! The equalizer on the amp is great too. It can be felt all throughout the pool area. I do not think I will be blowing these!!!! |
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Gold Member Username: ExerciseguyFort Hamilton, NY United States Post Number: 3160 Registered: Oct-04 |  I'd love to see some pics? |
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Bronze Member Username: ChimpkinParkersburg, WV United States Post Number: 29 Registered: Dec-09 | Sounds good man! Now save some money up to get a nice set of speakers to have inside. Go with something aimed more for sound quality. That way you'll have a crazy party system and a nice sit down and relax system. I agree pics would be cool. |
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Silver Member Username: MagfanUSA Post Number: 776 Registered: Oct-07 | Good. Now make sure to keep personal control of the loudness! Someone will bounce it 'into the red' and cause damage. |
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