JBL SR4722 Power Ratings

[Eboy87]

Ok, looked throught the technical manual on JBL's website. All it says for power rating is 600W @ 8ohms. It doesn't say whether this is program or peak. Is anybody familiar with these speakers who knows the power ratings? JBL's website wasn't much help, as the technical sheet was the only thing I could find. And no, I don't have the manual that came with them. I got them second hand from my church for free.

Reason I ask is that I'm looking into new amps than my little dinky Soundtech thingy, and just realized that I had no idea what the continuous wattage is. Thanks in advance

[cutlunch]

I found a data sheet on the JBL website for the SR4722X/F which states that the 600 W was produced using continuous Pink Noise. So I would read this as 600W RMS. JBL is not likely to quote in anything but RMS figures.

Hope this helps.

[Eboy87]

Yeah, that's what I thought. I didn't think of looking at other comparable models, as mine are quite old. I was hoping that it would have been peak, as it's gonna cost me an arm and a leg and perhaps my left hand to buy an amp that would power these running in stereo.

[soundman1024]

I would probably consider bi-amping them before I would run them in stereo. That crossover is going to eat up some power. Is there a specific reason you want to run them in stereo?

[Eboy87]

Originally Posted by soundman1024

Is there a specific reason you want to run them in stereo?

Money. I can run in stereo, I found a QSC amp that will provide my power needs, but right now, all I can afford is one amp, and that's after I finish up the shows this summer. Right now most of my money is spent on gas and girlfriend.

Eventually I'll bi-amp, I already have the DRPA as a x-over

[bryanr74]

These speakers are rated at 600 watts.

So you need an amp capable of generating 600 watts at 8 ohms or 1200 watts at 4 ohms.

[cutlunch]

Originally Posted by bryanr74

These speakers are rated at 600 watts.

So you need an amp capable of generating 600 watts at 8 ohms or 1200 watts at 4 ohms.

This would just drive it but it would leave no safety margin to protect the speaker.

Off the top of my head the common way of determining amplifier size is:

Speaker wattage * 1.8 < amplifier wattage Range < Speaker wattage * 2.2

For this case it gives an amplifier wattage range between 1000 - 1300 watts for 8 Ohms

[bryanr74]

Originally Posted by cutlunch

This would just drive it but it would leave no safety margin to protect the speaker.

Off the top of my head the common way of determining amplifier size is:

Speaker wattage * 1.8 < amplifier wattage Range < Speaker wattage * 2.2

For this case it gives an amplifier wattage range between 1000 - 1300 watts for 8 Ohms

Giving the speaker more power to "protect" it is actually not exactly what you are doing. I typically pick amps that are a few like say 100 to 200 watts over the specs - and then back the amps down a bit - this is more to give the speaker headroom and protect the amp - more than the speaker.

The only real way to protect a speaker is with a DSP/limiter. And a trained engineer that understands that you don't drive a speaker to it's limits. Instead if you need more SPL - add more speakers.

You can just as easily hurt a speaker buy underpowering it and cranking the sound up above the headroom.

[AVGuyAndy]

Right, so by suggesting buying a 600w amp is bad advice.

[Eboy87]

I'm shooting for at least a 1000W @8ohm amp. Right now the QSC PLX3402 is the highest I can get at 700 W @ 8ohm. Does anybody know of any comparable amps in the price range of the PLX that would do the job? I'm also trying to stay away from Behringer, even though their amps are exact copies of the QSC ones.