I've a simple question. I'm making an audio amplifier using the circuit given in the LM 386 datasheet. According to the sheet, my IC can supply max 1W of output power and recommend load is 4 ohm. The problem is I've a 4 ohm 10W speaker. So the 10W rating of speaker means that it can take maximum 10W (meaning it will work fine with lower power as well) or that it will try to extract full 10W from the IC and in doing so damage it. Please let me know.
So the 10W rating of speaker means that it can take maximum 10W (meaning it will work fine with lower power as well)
Yes that is correct.
Grumpy_Mike:
Yes that is correct.
Ok thank you!
Note also that to deliver 10 W to a speaker of a given impedance requires three times the voltage than delivering 1 W.
Think of it this way - a truck rated for 10 tonnes of payload can carry 1 tonne of payload. 10W is
the maximum rating for the speaker, the point at which it will start to overheat, no problem if you
don't exceeed it.
MarkT:
10W is the maximum rating for the speaker, the point at which it will start to overheat,
Not just overheat, but the cone will over-travel.
Bigger is better. If you already have the speaker, why not add a push pull output stage to supersize your
lm386 amplifer to 10W ? Any thing less is underperforming. Go the distance.
Or just get an audio amplifier which is designed for 10 W.
Incidentally, as I noted above, a 12 V supply is limited to 2.5 W (3.22 / 4) unless you use a bridge configuration in which case you can get 10 W.
This topic was automatically closed 120 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.