Amplifier Compatibility Checker

Check whether your speakers and amplifier look broadly compatible based on impedance, sensitivity and power.

How the checker works

The checker looks at two things:

Impedance match. It compares your speakers’ nominal impedance with the lowest impedance your amplifier is rated for. Driving speakers below an amplifier’s rated minimum can make it run hot or trigger protection.
Headroom. It estimates the peak volume you could reach at your seat using a standard formula: sensitivity + 10 × log₁₀(watts) − distance loss, plus about 3 dB for two speakers playing together. Above roughly 102 dB peaks there is plenty of headroom for most listeners; below about 96 dB, loud passages may push the amplifier into clipping.

Nominal impedance is an average. Real speakers dip below their rating at some frequencies.
Power ratings aren’t standardized. AV receivers are often rated with only two channels driven; with five or seven channels playing, available power per channel can be lower.
Sensitivity ratings vary. Some brands quote 2.83 V/1 m, others 1 W/1 m. For a 4-ohm speaker, a 2.83 V figure reads about 3 dB higher.

So treat the result as a sanity check. Always follow both manufacturers’ recommendations.