Using a portable bluetooth speaker as practice amp.

[tupper]

Hello there!
I'm new to this forum. What prompted me to join is trying to get guidance on the following topic.
I know the main substance of my question has been asked recurringly by many, but I still fail to grasp the principles involved.
I've been backpacking for circa 3 years. I'm carrying a JBL flip 3 speaker whose speakers I graciously blew (they rattle horrendously at low frequencies now) by connecting the line-level output of my zoom h4n recorder to it to use as a low power practice amp.
The JBL flip 3 has a nominal output of 16 watts. I blew the speakers staying one point below max volume and I could still not cut through my friend's acoustic guitar.
A 10 or 5 W guitar amp, is plenty loud to cut through an acoustic guitar at 1/2 or 2/3 max. volume.
So, firstly, would someone care to refresh to me the answer the old question of "why guitar amp. is louder than an audio amp at same wattage", specifically in the context of me being unable to carry both a guitar amp AND an audio speaker in my crowded backpack and needing to somehow try to cover both functionalities?
More specifically: Is there anyway to optimise the power output of the audio speaker (JBL) for guitar (via equalizer, bandpass filter etc) to safely use it as practice amp?
Thanks for your time to read this!

[glebert]

Without knowing anything about the internals of the JBL Flip 3, most audio amp/speaker companies just lie when it comes to power. I have some no-name karaoke unit that runs off a small internal battery pack yet claims it has 2000 watts of power. :eyeroll: JBL is probably a little less aggressive, but maybe the 16 watts is "peak power" compared to a 5 or 10 watt guitar amp that is using RMS watts. If it was actually putting out 16 watts of power it would probably be getting pretty hot (if you have a 15 watt incandescent bulb think about how hot that will get). Also, the power number is what is going into the speaker, but different speakers have different efficiency so one will be louder than another for the same watts. The JBL has a couple little 1.5" speakers or something?

[Helmholtz]

. If it was actually putting out 16 watts of power it would probably be getting pretty hot (if you have a 15 watt incandescent bulb think about how hot that will get).

The power dissipated by the power amp is only around one third of the power delivered to the speakers for a linear amp - even much lower for a switching amp.

I think the main diffference is that guitar speakers have much higher efficiency than small full range speakers.

[glebert]

The power dissipated by the power amp is only around one third of the power delivered to the speakers for a linear amp - even much lower for a switching amp.

I think the main diffference is that guitar speakers have much higher efficiency than small full range speakers.

The power dissipation of the amp is only one part, almost all the power that is delivered to the speakers is also going to end up as heat, but all of that is beside the point.

Looking up the battery pack for a JBL Flip 3 it is only a 3.7VDC battery. and 3000mAh. Seems like that would run down pretty fast if it was actually putting out 16 watts of power no matter how efficient it is.

[Pixel]

The bluetooth speaker pretends to be headphones when you plug something into it. So get a guitar headphone amp and plug the bluetooth speaker into that.

[Jazz P Bass]

Those speakers are awfully small.

[g1]

Yes, those speakers are tiny, and 8W per speaker is not a lot.
But I think of how loud those 'toy' plastic marshall or fender amps are that run on 9V battery, with speakers around the same size.
I think one of those would keep up with an acoustic guitar? So why not this JBL? Maybe not getting enough drive?