What are you Listening To Right Now? - and more

Different strokes for different folks. :)

Take the Cerwin Vega D9 for example, despite an efficiency rating of 100+, 10 watts ain't gonna do much of anything to get them moving.

Ha! perhaps I did not state my point correctly, not really a 'different strokes' thingy. Just stating that there are benefits to reserve power...and perhaps it will only be needed 2% of the time.
And again, I do not know how to relate 10 tube wpc vs SS power.
 
Not to offend anyone(this'll be a first), but I've never understood the love of tube stereo equipment. They run awfully hot, they're not cheap to replace, and in my experience with tubes, they don't really do a great job on the bottom end. As long as I'm not offending anyone, I also don't understand the love of vinyl over cd's. However, I live in a cave, so what do you expect?
 
A Hard Road - John Mayall And The Bluesbreakers
-1, 4/8/67 x 2 press.
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I will have to disagree in a most respectful way with that concept. Many factors are involved, mostly it's the capabilities of the speakers. I have a friend that has some terrific speakers (sensitivity over 100) that are mated to a 4 & 1/2 watt single ended tube amp and the combination is stunning. The amp cruises along at well under 1/4 watt for normal listening levels and pegs out at something like 107-108 db. I've heard all kinds of music playing back at high levels including cello, violin, piano, harp, harpsicord etc all of which induce strain on an amplifier. I have heard YoYo Ma playing his cello, sounding like he was right there in the room. I especially enjoyed a live recording of Sara Bareilles singing "Sitting On A Dock In The Bay" and feeling the energy of the piano in the space. If you've never experienced it then you probably wouldn't believe it. He played a live version of Yes's "I've Seen All Good People" and it was mindblowingly as real as seeing them in concert (which I have.) I have a 12 watt PP tube amp that can easily get my Klipsch Forte speakers up to "Eviction Notice" levels without breaking a sweat, so yes I can certainly see a 10 watt tube amplifier catching that bow hitting the cello strings and kicking it out in all it's magnificent glory. :)

Couldnt have put it better Darkblue!

I have trouble trying to figure out why the fraction on a watt taken to generate the original sound would require hundreds of watts to recreate.

Then again, I don't understand why my HT receiver has major problems trying to drive my electrostats with 95 watts per channel, yet my 2 channel power amp does the job easily while employing a fraction of its 300 wpc capability.
 
Not to offend anyone(this'll be a first), but I've never understood the love of tube stereo equipment. They run awfully hot, they're not cheap to replace, and in my experience with tubes, they don't really do a great job on the bottom end. As long as I'm not offending anyone, I also don't understand the love of vinyl over cd's. However, I live in a cave, so what do you expect?
Then you simply dont know what your missing Ted!
 
Not to offend anyone(this'll be a first), but I've never understood the love of tube stereo equipment. They run awfully hot, they're not cheap to replace, and in my experience with tubes, they don't really do a great job on the bottom end. As long as I'm not offending anyone, I also don't understand the love of vinyl over cd's. However, I live in a cave, so what do you expect?

On the vinyl part of your query, I could give many reasons, but the short answer is.....
Because it's a disease!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:rockon:
 
Ignorance is bliss, in this case.

I know what I'm missing, having heard a 12 wpc tube amp driving a pair of Tannoy monsters.

But what I'm really missing is several thousand dollars of disposable income to buy the thing.

l was fortunate to inherit two pairs and have added four more over the years,hard earned and never bought new-prices now are just crazy and sadly Tannoy is chasing the yen and moving to china....end of an era and more skills lost
 
I have trouble trying to figure out why the fraction on a watt taken to generate the original sound would require hundreds of watts to recreate.

Then again, I don't understand why my HT receiver has major problems trying to drive my electrostats with 95 watts per channel, yet my 2 channel power amp does the job easily while employing a fraction of its 300 wpc capability.

well, in my experience, not all watts are created equally and different manufacturers don't rate the same way. Then there is the speed at which those watts are delivered.
 
Ignorance is bliss, in this case.

I know what I'm missing, having heard a 12 wpc tube amp driving a pair of Tannoy monsters.

But what I'm really missing is several thousand dollars of disposable income to buy the thing.
No shit, my buddy's four and one-half watt amplifier is $15,000.:eek: I'll never have one, I know that, yet I still lust after the thing. :naughty:
Oh by the way folks, there's dynamics aplenty, although not a lot of reserve after 108db's but that's plenty loud.
 
A few clean watts travelling through a vacuum rather than trudging through sand....

Same with guitar amps-l use a Laney valve head through a 2 x 10 cabinet
Tranny guitar amps seem brittle and cold in comparison and you just cant get that creamy distortion with tranny guitar amps....

Do hope im not sounding smug-everyone to their own tastes as Ted so rightly said and no intention of putting anyones kit down-its the music that matters in the end and the ear of the beholder isnt it?
 
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