nj pheonix
Lunatic Member
Lots of heat, power used ( though maybe not more so than big class A SS. Also they tend to use a lot of tubes per channel. Gets pricey when it's time to replace.
The one watt lie….
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Lots of heat, power used ( though maybe not more so than big class A SS. Also they tend to use a lot of tubes per channel. Gets pricey when it's time to replace.
They did some things very, very well, but like all speaker they lacked in other areas.
Maybe if I had the opportunity to listen to them for an extended period (days-months?) I would get used to the things I didn't like and be able to enjoy them more.. As it stands I like a lot of other speakers much better and prefer a different set of compromises..
My AR VT100 power amp had 16 tubes. Plus phono and preamp, total was over 26-28 tubes. I wont dismiss that lower tube count is a good motivator to look into low wattage.
Ive seen that happen. Ive even experienced it myself. Some of the best combinations Ive had here took time to get to know.
Sooo purchasing a tube amp over 3 watts say for example would just be a waste of money?
Superman541
Well-Known Member
I just got a pair of Klipsch Cornwalls (102db) which are being powered by a pair of Leak TL/12 Plus monoblocks which do not make more than about 8 WPC. The sound quality is superb and the loudness at full volume allows me to hear every detail in the music from my back yard with the door closed. One Watt of power makes them about the loudness of a pair of lawn mowers.
asilker
Super Member
What?
I do not doubt it. I get the same.
Tell me, do you get all the low frequency vibrations you expect? Loud trombones make the seat cushion quiver?
Play this if you have a streaming source.
Does it sound full? Depending on the system performance, that track can sound huge and cavernous, or its just there.
No. I dont think so. I think the low wattage high efficiency philosophy is an intriguing and beguiling approach. It certainly has merit. I do find it is quite finicky with music choice, sound levels, and the reproduction is very different. If thats what you are going for, then you win. It is not perfect nor is it the nirvana I thought it would be. It does do things that are extremely appealing, but those come much less often than a traditional approach.
When I listen to the Carpenters on my 20 watt amp, Karen's voice is ethereal. It is unmatched with any other pairing. I think its because the subdued power does not add a weight that shouldnt be there. I love it when its doing that.
There are many things in this world that are exotic, amazing, but not widely adopted. Because something exists doesnt validate it. There is always a section of a population that will like something the majority may not. Its just how the world is.
I think that low wattage high efficiency is valid, is very hard to put together effectively, and is actually a great deal of its appeal. The challenge is in large part the appeal.
Chris Brown
Super Member
I think people should stick with what makes them happy. If someone wants to piece together a system that puts out one watt and is content with that, who am I to tell them that they are wrong?
For me, well, even my headphone amplifier puts out more than one watt... One-watt would be hilariously inadequate for my music system. I currently run a 500+ wpc amp for my subwoofers and it's not uncommon for me to push it to the edge of soft clipping.
Yeah, quite a few people who have embraced the fleawatt philosophy also have one or more powered subs, but somehow those subwoofer amplifiers supplying hundreds of watts "doesn't count" when they say that they only need one watt.
Fact is, loud bass requires power. Some people don't listen to music that has much deep bass and/or don't listen loud, and that's fine. I like bass and I like to listen loud.
For me, well, even my headphone amplifier puts out more than one watt... One-watt would be hilariously inadequate for my music system. I currently run a 500+ wpc amp for my subwoofers and it's not uncommon for me to push it to the edge of soft clipping.
Yeah, quite a few people who have embraced the fleawatt philosophy also have one or more powered subs, but somehow those subwoofer amplifiers supplying hundreds of watts "doesn't count" when they say that they only need one watt.
Fact is, loud bass requires power. Some people don't listen to music that has much deep bass and/or don't listen loud, and that's fine. I like bass and I like to listen loud.
some people like listening to distortion
I don't know what qualifies as "widely adopted" or not, but most typical listeners simply don't have the space a pair of large high sensitivity speakers. Complicating matters, some of them also have specific placement requirements. This however isn't necessarily a reflection of quality but practicality.
The fact that the original K-horn design has been produced continuously for over 70 years speaks for itself.
The main point is that the treatise of your original post is empirically false. Using a pair of Klipchorns as an example, 1 watt input produces 110 dB; 113 dB for a pair. Assuming an SPL of the material never exceeds 113 dB (or somewhat less at the listening position), there is nothing a 2 watt, or 2,000 watt amplifier is going to do that a hypothetical 1 watt amplifier can't do. This assumes all other things equal and none are overdriven. Now some listeners simply don't care for the sound of high sensitivity (horn) speakers. That is another discussion.
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I have owned 102db speakers and tested them with many different amplifiers. The presentation and the weight is very different with flea watt and ample power. We disagree; and thats alright.