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How many watts?
- Thread starter Mrgooch
- Start date
basite
I took a headstart...
with my thiels, (87db/m/1w)
I could say that my 100 Mcwatts are enough (they definately are), but I do wonder how a MC252 or a MC402 would sound, not for going too loud, but just to have the extra power reserve...
With the stacked advents, the 100 Mcwatts are more than enough
Keep them spinning,
Bert.
I could say that my 100 Mcwatts are enough (they definately are), but I do wonder how a MC252 or a MC402 would sound, not for going too loud, but just to have the extra power reserve...
With the stacked advents, the 100 Mcwatts are more than enough
Keep them spinning,
Bert.
150 to 200 would be the minimum I would want. Recordings with large dynamic range demand it and also it provides the authoritative driver control, the occasional high SPL levels, and no clipping opportunities for the tweeter - these are the things I gotta (well at least want to) have.
whoaru99
Epic Member
Huh... I must be having a mid-life crisis. I'm going just the opposite way.
Can't afford a new Vette Z-06, so I'm going this afternoon to look at a pair of big-ass subs and another pro amp.
AndrewCttrll
New Member
I have three amplifiers: a 15wpc Pioneer 434; a 30wpc Technics SU-C04; and a 40wpc Technics SU-V3. I really can't tell them apart!
My 'Celestion 5' speakers have a sensitivity of 88dB (1w/1m Anechoic).
The SU-V3 has a peak power meter. At the moment it is peaking at 0.05wpc. When I turn it up really loud it peaks at 1wpc. In experiments I've had it up to 5wpc, but not for long.
My listening position is about 2m from the speakers. At 1wpc I have 88dB from the speakers, minus about 6dB due to the distance, plus 3dB because there are two of them, plus about 3dB to 6dB of room gain. So that's about 88dB to 91dB SPL from 1wpc. That's already 3dB to 6dB over the 85dB that will cause hearing damage with long-term exposure.
Also, I have noticed that my hearing quickly becomes less sensitive when listening to loud music. So I only listen to loud music for a few songs before turning the power back down.
I think I would be fine with a 15wpc amplifier. I'd double that for every 3dB below 88dB sensitivity and divide that be two for every 3dB above 88dB. And I'd quadruple that for every doubling of distance between the listening position and the speakers.
More important, to me, than wpc is THD and the ability to sustain the required power level.
My 'Celestion 5' speakers have a sensitivity of 88dB (1w/1m Anechoic).
The SU-V3 has a peak power meter. At the moment it is peaking at 0.05wpc. When I turn it up really loud it peaks at 1wpc. In experiments I've had it up to 5wpc, but not for long.
My listening position is about 2m from the speakers. At 1wpc I have 88dB from the speakers, minus about 6dB due to the distance, plus 3dB because there are two of them, plus about 3dB to 6dB of room gain. So that's about 88dB to 91dB SPL from 1wpc. That's already 3dB to 6dB over the 85dB that will cause hearing damage with long-term exposure.
Also, I have noticed that my hearing quickly becomes less sensitive when listening to loud music. So I only listen to loud music for a few songs before turning the power back down.
I think I would be fine with a 15wpc amplifier. I'd double that for every 3dB below 88dB sensitivity and divide that be two for every 3dB above 88dB. And I'd quadruple that for every doubling of distance between the listening position and the speakers.
More important, to me, than wpc is THD and the ability to sustain the required power level.
similost
Rockin and Rollin....
Even thought I use a tuner and amp seperates, I'm not happy with anything less than several hundred watts a channel. I also have speakers that handle quite a few hundred watts each.. and yes, every now and then I put it to it's full use.. Amps combined (bi-amped) I'm around 700 WPC
However, if I were to manage to go back to a vintage reciever, I wouldn't be happy with less than 200wpc.. I've got a 60 WPC reciever, and it just don't have enough for me..
However, if I were to manage to go back to a vintage reciever, I wouldn't be happy with less than 200wpc.. I've got a 60 WPC reciever, and it just don't have enough for me..
hewlew1
Active Member
Ugornot,I had a pair of Cerwin Vega D-9's in my bedroom why would you say that is crude? I now have Carver Amazing Platinums in the bedroom on bridged Carver M500T's they may be considered huge and crude by some people. Since they are in oak and they blend right in with our oak bedroom set the WAF is quite high.
:yes:
:yes:
AndrewCttrll
New Member
Amplifier Power Required calculator -- although I don't think it takes into account room gain.
[sorry similost, I messed up my reply -- I had asked similost what SPLs he gets from his system]
[sorry similost, I messed up my reply -- I had asked similost what SPLs he gets from his system]
similost
Rockin and Rollin....
The other night I was pushing it pretty hard, and was getting a peak of 128 about 10 feet from each stack. I might be able to get a couple more db if I tweaked a little better, but for my living room, that is more than enough.
I had a different amp and mixer, and I was peaking at 130db, the limit of my meter, but it didn't sound near as good as what it does now swapping amps and mixers.
I know this is more about recievers, but I would never be able to get the sound I like without the headroom having several hundred watts provide. That is why I left recievers behind, and went to pro gear.
I still have my Sansui quad, and it is a great sounding reciever, but it just doesn't have much headroom, nor would be able to push the speakers I have now very well. I've tried it, and just not enough wattage to provide the headroom at a fair volume level. Also not as much channel seperation. Another thing I noticed about my reciever is it seems to add a little more color to the sound than I am looking for.
BTW.. the speakers I have are rated for more watts than I can push, so I have no idea what kinda db's I'd get if I could push the speakers to their limits.. I'm limited by my amps.
I had a different amp and mixer, and I was peaking at 130db, the limit of my meter, but it didn't sound near as good as what it does now swapping amps and mixers.
I know this is more about recievers, but I would never be able to get the sound I like without the headroom having several hundred watts provide. That is why I left recievers behind, and went to pro gear.
I still have my Sansui quad, and it is a great sounding reciever, but it just doesn't have much headroom, nor would be able to push the speakers I have now very well. I've tried it, and just not enough wattage to provide the headroom at a fair volume level. Also not as much channel seperation. Another thing I noticed about my reciever is it seems to add a little more color to the sound than I am looking for.
BTW.. the speakers I have are rated for more watts than I can push, so I have no idea what kinda db's I'd get if I could push the speakers to their limits.. I'm limited by my amps.
whoaru99
Epic Member
Once you start getting where you are, I think it's pretty hard to gain a whole lot more in absolute volume without some really big power and more cabinets.
similost
Rockin and Rollin....
So true Whoaru... that is why I am pretty much stopping where I am.. I've got a really great sounding system now even at low levels of listening. I have tried my Sansui on this system, and it can't even touch the sound quality.. much less some of the levels I do listen to on occasion.
If I could find a reciever with several hundred WPC, I'd give that a try just to see what it sounds like. I think some of the older recievers were really great, but for some reason, I have come to notice they seem to not have the same kind of sound quality pro amps have. That's why I've decided vintage stuff, while very high quality, and great sounding, just can't provide what I'm looking for in a more natural and seperated sound.
If I could find a reciever with several hundred WPC, I'd give that a try just to see what it sounds like. I think some of the older recievers were really great, but for some reason, I have come to notice they seem to not have the same kind of sound quality pro amps have. That's why I've decided vintage stuff, while very high quality, and great sounding, just can't provide what I'm looking for in a more natural and seperated sound.
whoaru99
Epic Member
Yes, to some degree. However, one's volume requirements (in addition to tonal quality) dictate the speaker and the power required.
danj
modern primitive
One of the most highly regarded SS amps of all time was in the Advent 300 receiver of the late 1970s. This was rated at only 20 watts RMS but it was oh so clean and sounded fantastic and would play plenty loud with most speakers.
One of my units is rated at 100 watts RMS per and the other at 45 watts. I also have a vintage Pioneer that puts out 27 watts per. With my Polk speakers even the 27 watter can shake the walls with good clean decibels so.....27 watts RMS per channel.
I would rather have a small amp with plenty of headroom than a big amp with no headroom. This is a result of proper design and a power supply with sufficient reseve AND an amp with honest ratings.
One of my units is rated at 100 watts RMS per and the other at 45 watts. I also have a vintage Pioneer that puts out 27 watts per. With my Polk speakers even the 27 watter can shake the walls with good clean decibels so.....27 watts RMS per channel.
I would rather have a small amp with plenty of headroom than a big amp with no headroom. This is a result of proper design and a power supply with sufficient reseve AND an amp with honest ratings.
Marantz 500
Active Member
I can live with 25 watts per channel, no problem. But I have to say it's fascinating how speakers can be transformed by a really powerful amplifier. After having used the Nikko Alpha 440 for a while with familiar loudspeakers, I often miss that amplifier a lot (it's away for service right now). I have other fairly nice power amplifiers ranging from 45 to 100 watts per channel (Quad 303, Sony TA-N55ES, Proton D1200) but the Nikko's extra power really seemed to make a difference. I could listen REALLY loud without any distortion and enjoyed it a lot. And speakers that were merely OK with another amp sounded great with the added control that a powerful amp seems to give. Then again, I'm up late listening to a Marantz 2015 at low volume right now, and that's a sweet sound as well...
All the best,
Jake
All the best,
Jake
