What's Watt?

[jrsystems]

I was thinking about amp power and thought I would pose an open question. If two amps, one of say, 200 watts and the other of perhaps 500 watts are driven simultaneously by the same signal, are they both going to generate the same watt output to their limits, or is it proportional?

For example, if the pre-amp is at a setting that would have the first amp running at 100 watts output, does the second amp also put out 100 watts -but as the volume increases does the lesser amp start running out of juice or clipping at 200 watts, while the bigger amp is also putting out the same 200 watts but with plenty of room to keep pushing?

OR

Is it proportional -at the pre-amp setting that would generate 100 watts in the first amp or 50% of it's total output, is the bigger amp thus generating 250 watts or half of it's total power output at this same pre-amp setting?

Just wondering...

[10Beers]

Amplifier Gain

[kfr01]

I think what 10beers is saying is that amplifier gain depends on a number of variables and that it is a bit more complicated than the "either or" presented in the original post.

[jrsystems]

I was afraid of that!

[kfr01]

I think a good bet is to assume that very few gain stages of different amplifier models will match well...

[chessman]

Jack, read the link, was fascinated, but still did not see the answer. Got some help for us English majors?

[Kal Rubinson]

Originally Posted by kfr01

I think what 10beers is saying is that amplifier gain depends on a number of variables and that it is a bit more complicated than the "either or" presented in the original post.

Not quite. Amp gain determines the answer. Amps with the same gain will output the same power, as long as it is within their capabilities.

[Myles B. Astor]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

Not quite. Amp gain determines the answer. Amps with the same gain will output the same power, as long as it is within their capabilities.

Kal's right as usual

For instance, if you biamp Maggies, Magnepan supplies a formula so the user can calculate and better match the two amps. And in this case need to use the more powerful amp on the bass since that's where the pot/resistor goes to balance the two amps.

[kfr01]

Originally Posted by Kal Rubinson

Not quite. Amp gain determines the answer. Amps with the same gain will output the same power, as long as it is within their capabilities.

Exactly ---

Different amplifier models from the same producer will often not have the same amplifier gain and one shouldn't assume that, e.g., a 200 watt McIntosh and a 500 watt McIntosh will have the same amplifier gain.

[chessman]

So again, for us English majors, does this mean that two amps each rated at 200 watts could have different gains and thus different power outputs?