Really simple question, maybe

[tetraquarkneutrino]

I know nothing much about audio equipment and have a very basic question.

I see amps and speakers for sale that advertise power and impedence.

Speakers often say for example, "20W, 8ohms". Amps say, "200W".

So, when speakers are advertised as 20W, 8 ohms, I have measured the resistance of one speaker and found it close to 8 ohms, so I assume the 8 ohm spec applies to each speaker individually. Does the 20W apply to one speaker also, or is it the combined power of both speakers? The same question for amplifiers. is a 200W amp output 200W per speaker, or is that the total power output for both speakers?

 

[Sergeauckland]

Loudspeaker power handling specs are per 'speaker, so a loudspeaker rated at 20 watts can be used with amplifiers rated around that. It's never critical, so a 20w 'speaker can work with a, say, 50 watt amp provided the amp's volume isn't turned up too high.

An amplifier's output is less well specified. The 'proper' way to rate an amplifier is continuous output, per channel at the start of clipping, into whatever minimum load the amp is rated at, 4 ohms, 8 ohms or whatever. Sadly, so many amps are rated stupidly as peak watts 'music power' at 10% distortion, both channels added together. This can make a 10 watt amp into a 100 watt piece of nonsense.

S