ngpadre
Watts goin' on.
Hoping this is the right forum for this topic, here goes my rookie at bat.
Have recently obtained a pair of Infinity Kappa 6 speakers, completely re-done and beautiful. I was told they are inefficient, due to their sealed construction, hence require some considerable horsepower behind them, “I wouldn’t try it with only 40 or 50 watts a side,” he said.
Never a soldier in the wattage wars, I have always enjoyed good listening from moderately powered amplification (i.e.: 40 wpc).
Of course, I want to give these speakers their due, but need information as to choosing effective amplification. Mr. Leesonic, clearly someone who knows, talks in these forums about the NAD 3020 handling 4 sets of speakers with 20 watts—does that mean that amp would handle these speakers? Is there some way of measuring the speakers’ efficiency in order to make a formulaic prediction of their need for power? How does one ascertain whether one amplifier’s 120 watts are only as muscular as another’s 80 watts? Or 40? Or 20?
I understand the concept of relative efficiency vs. power required, but since there will be more than enough subjective pros and cons to juggle when the sound turns on, how can I at least determine some objective information about the power requirement?
Or is quantification impossible and it’s simply: go big or go home? That’s fun, too!
Thanks, and let me know if this is not the right forum—I’m familiar with being told where to go...
Have recently obtained a pair of Infinity Kappa 6 speakers, completely re-done and beautiful. I was told they are inefficient, due to their sealed construction, hence require some considerable horsepower behind them, “I wouldn’t try it with only 40 or 50 watts a side,” he said.
Never a soldier in the wattage wars, I have always enjoyed good listening from moderately powered amplification (i.e.: 40 wpc).
Of course, I want to give these speakers their due, but need information as to choosing effective amplification. Mr. Leesonic, clearly someone who knows, talks in these forums about the NAD 3020 handling 4 sets of speakers with 20 watts—does that mean that amp would handle these speakers? Is there some way of measuring the speakers’ efficiency in order to make a formulaic prediction of their need for power? How does one ascertain whether one amplifier’s 120 watts are only as muscular as another’s 80 watts? Or 40? Or 20?
I understand the concept of relative efficiency vs. power required, but since there will be more than enough subjective pros and cons to juggle when the sound turns on, how can I at least determine some objective information about the power requirement?
Or is quantification impossible and it’s simply: go big or go home? That’s fun, too!
Thanks, and let me know if this is not the right forum—I’m familiar with being told where to go...
