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Constant-voltage audio
Speaker Circuit Calculator
Current draw, voltage drop, and dB loss for a 25V/70V/100V speaker circuit.
Enter the circuit values to see the dB loss.
3 dB is a common design target (the threshold most listeners perceive as a loudness change), not a fixed NFPA 72 number — use whatever your design criteria calls for.
A necessary note. Wire resistance is from NEC Chapter 9 Table 8 — the same table this
suite's NAC voltage drop calculator uses. Sums the total wattage tapped on the circuit into a single
equivalent load resistance (line voltage² ÷ tapped watts) at the full run distance
— a conservative field check, not a tap-by-tap segment calculation. End-of-line voltage comes
from the voltage-divider relationship between that load resistance and the wire resistance —
not from assuming full nominal current keeps flowing as voltage sags, since a fixed-impedance tap
draws less current at a lower voltage. dB loss is 20 × log₁₀(end voltage ÷
line voltage), standard for constant-voltage audio distribution. This tool is a planning aid, not a
substitute for a code review by a licensed design professional or your authority having
jurisdiction.