Any audio techs here? Got a question

[Powerman620]

I put in outdoor kitchen and bar with stereo. Specs on speakers are:

Pair of Mini Omni Speakers
2x full range 100W drivers
True 360º Omni Directional Sound
Residential to Commercial Installs
5" Co-Axial Woofer Driver
2" Mylar refractive tweeter
8Ω standard impedance,

Spec on stereo:
Power Output:
Peak: 50 watts x 4 channels
RMS: 20 watts x 4 channels
Playback and Audio Features:
Playback of MP3 and WMA
AM/FM tuner with 18FM/12AM presets
2-band parametric equalizer
Expandability Options:
1 Set of 2V preamp outputs
3.5mm Rear Auxiliary Input
Rear USB Input
Question is would an amp give me better sound and if so which one?

 

[71buickfreak]

An amp will always yield better sound, as long as it is putting out more power than the 50 watts peak your unit is providing. That said, what are wanting to do with it? If you want to blast out the neighborhood, then yes, you need an amp. If you just want some good tunes while cooking outside, then what you have is sufficient.

If you have the dough to buy a nice amp, go for it, but those speakers will sound just fine with the tuner you have. A quality amp will set you back so much that you would probably want better speakers to go with it.

 

[Powerman620]

Thanks, that's what I needed to know.

 

[Droberts]

personally i wouldnt amp anything under 300W RMS. 90-150watt speakers sound just fine running below peak load. better to put the power bottleneck on the source than the driver, less damage that way.

some audio links to stuff i've put together:

nothing spectacular, but an all around good floor standup i made:
http://davidproberts.com/2011/06/21/project-floor-speaker-home-audio/
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=a296b6d42b7c95386f89e3b07d85d847

something to make a pc gamer go deaf
http://davidproberts.com/2011/01/24/audio-desk-desk-of-awesome/
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=6134e6b4397a793c3fbeb70e0a8671d9

MMThree Clone
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=ff0cbc40c912abdc6f89e3b07d85d847

quad THT coffee table - this one's actually pretty cool.
http://davidproberts.com/2011/01/24/quad-tht-woofer/

 

[bettingpython]

personally i wouldnt amp anything under 300W RMS. 90-150watt speakers sound just fine running below peak load. better to put the power bottleneck on the source than the driver, less damage that way.

some audio links to stuff i've put together:

nothing spectacular, but an all around good floor standup i made:
http://davidproberts.com/2011/06/21/project-floor-speaker-home-audio/
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=a296b6d42b7c95386f89e3b07d85d847

something to make a pc gamer go deaf
http://davidproberts.com/2011/01/24/audio-desk-desk-of-awesome/
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=6134e6b4397a793c3fbeb70e0a8671d9

MMThree Clone
https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=ff0cbc40c912abdc6f89e3b07d85d847

quad THT coffee table - this one's actually pretty cool.
http://davidproberts.com/2011/01/24/quad-tht-woofer/

Do you mind if I download your desk model? I want a nice corner unit desk for my rig and this looks like it's almost what I've had in mind.

 

[Droberts]

be my guest its why i linked the sketchup files.

its a bit excessive what with the crotch facing subwoofers. hop in an anti aircraft tank in BF3, let loose some lead and it'll suck the wind out of ya.

the THT side woofers will need plexiglass cut to fit and screwed in to the sides.

the three planks extending at the top are for rear surround sound. idea was to hang 3 sealed 6x9's from them

 

[71buickfreak]

I prefer to overdrive speakers rather than underdrive them, as a distorted power signal will burn up a voice coil faster than too much power. This methodology requires restraint, however, and I set up my gain structures with an oscilloscope. For the average customer, I would just stick with what we have here, as you don't know who is going grab the knob and twist it! Just like engines- 120 horsepower will get you 75 mph, 500 will get you there faster, but there potential for disaster if you just hang it open.

Droberts- you ever play around with transmission line designs? Back in my competition days, I was working on a T-line for my dB drag racing vehicle. I phased out my competition vehicle after I started working for Rockford Fosgate, so I never went much further with it, but I think about draggin that stuff out every once in a while. I was running 1/4-wave in my convertible, tuned at 50 hz. Boom. Bada Boom. Big Bada Boom...