Could someone fill me in on the basics on home stereo amplifiers and speakers. I currently have an amplifier and some speakers but 2 sets of speakers have blown and I'm wondering what I should buy next to prevent this from happening again.I only play vinyl records off it, or plug in an ipod for current music.The amplifier I have is an old RCA (1990's) and it is 280watts. It has 6channels. Left Right Main, Front and Rear, and Surround. When the speakers blew, I had 2 in the main port. I think they were 100watts ea.Currently I have 2 optimus 100watt speakers in the main, and 2, 80 watts in the surround.I guess I just don't understand the wattage thing. Is the total 280watts divided by how many speakers are running and what their wattage is? Is having 2, 100watt speakers too much? For parties, I like the music to be loud. Thanks for your assistance.
Not for anything serious, and definitely not for high volumes. You'll see what I mean when you plug it all in. Guitar amps have a natural roll-off on the top frequencies to tame the static and fuzz that amplification creates. Home stereos don't have this, so if you don't have a multifx pedal or some other similar device to tame the highs, a stereo will not sound very good at all for a guitar amp. It will be okay for PA, but not for high volumes. Home stereos are not built as robustly as your average PA amp and speakers. Do NOT use it as a bass amp. Good way to blow your system. Bass amps are built to handle all of that low frequency energy, there is a chance that if you put too much bass into your home system then turn it up to try and hear it that you'll put a strain on your system and speakers and end up blowing something. There's a reason why we use PA amps and bass amps and guitar amps they're built to satisfy a specific need, and built well enough to handle the stress and strain that both these volumes and the shock of being moved around, bumped, etc that home stereos simply aren't engineered to handle. I have used a home stereo for vocals, and would have no problem with that, keeping in mind that there is no mechanism to avoid feedback except staying away from the speakers. Not for anything else, if possible, though. Saul
