This tool calculates the Amplifier (or Amp) Output Power (Watt) required to provide a specified Sound Pressure Level (SPL) at a distance away from the speaker.
Are you interested in calculating the specs of an amplifier to match your speaker instead?
Enter
- Speaker sensitivity (1W/m) in dB
- Amplifier Headroom (in dB)
- Distance from the speaker (in feet or meters)
- Target Sound Pressure Level (dB) at this distance
Example Calculation
As an example let’s design an audio system where
- The listening position is 50 feet (or 15.2 meters) away from the speaker
- The desired Sound Pressure Level is 95 dB SPL
The speaker chosen for the job has a sensitivity rating of 85 dB. Apply a minimum recommended amplifier headroom of 3 dB.
According to the calculator, an amplifier that can supply at least 4634 watts to the loudspeaker is required.
What is speaker sensitivity?
Sensitivity measures how well power input to the speaker is converted to sound energy.
As an example, the sensitivity of a speaker might be rated as 90 dB (1W/1m). This means that speaker produces a level of 90 dB when driven with an amplifier that provides 1 Watt of power. The measurement is made 1 meter in front of the speaker.
The higher the number in dB, the more sensitive the speaker and the more efficient it is in converting the power output of an amplifier to audio.
Related Calculators
- Speaker Max SPL
- Subwoofer Amplifier – calculate amp requirements based on subwoofer specs
- Car Amplifier output – use the power rating and impedance to calculate the output watt delivered by the amp
- Car Amplifier Specs – use the speaker sensitivity and target SPL to derive the amp’s desired output power
- Speaker Impedance – calculate the impedance of speakers in either parallel or series configuration