The more I get into hifi the more relevant and helpful Steve becomes! From an avid jazz pianist to an aspiring audiophile, I find a guy on UA-cam who at first annoyed me with his vagaries and relative dryness and now is someone I admire and love listening to! Kudos to you Mr Gutenberg. You are a gentle soul. Thank you. Gustavo, from New England
When I was in high school in the late 70s, all my friends were more concerned about the power than the sound quality. I rather have something with less power if it sounds good than a not so good sounding high powered amp. I really enjoy your videos. I look forward to seeing them.
Dear Steve, I agree with you totally. I had the kind opportunity to have a pair of Zu Soul Superfly in my home with the Almarro A250Amkii tube amplifier in my room: result, tremendous. And together they go louder than all I ever need!!! Dynamics? in aplomb too :-D Warmest Regards, ~ ian
The "Coasting" thing is interesting. Current is more important than watts IMO, but unfortunately most manufacturers only spec watts, like auto manufacturers spec horsepower instead of torque. Horsepower won't tell you squat about how the car is going to perform from stoplight to stoplight around town, because it's only telling you the peak output of the motor near redline, somewhere almost nobody ever drives. That said, distortion increases gradually in an amp until it gets to it's max power, so I am a believer at least in many cases, all things being equal in the amps otherwise, you tend to get less distortion and any one power level, with a more powerfull amp. Take for instance a Parasound A23 at 125w x 2, and a Parasound A21 at 250w x 2. If you need let's say 60 watts to drive your speakers to a good level in your room, the A21 is going to sound better with less distortion. Internal parts are the same, construction is the same, but the A21 sounds better. I've done the swap personally. Even though 60 watts is nowhere near clipping on the A23, the A21 still does it better. Some really powerful amps start to suffer and sound slower, but that's another issue for another discussion. Current is more important. In the case of super efficient speakers like Zu or Klipsch Heritage, this theory goes right out the window. Then you're probably focusing almost entirely on tone. But with speakers with normal sensitivities, like between 84-92db needing over 10 watts, it's always seemed to me that more power/current sounded better.
Power is related to current for a given load. In the example components you mention, there is 'only' 3db difference between the full output of 125w amp and a 250w amp. Its double the power per 3db increase in SPL. Current capacity provided by the power supply and the topology of the amplification affects performance markedly. Example: 125w at 8ohms Class A amp with a stiff power supply that can double its output (250w) in to 4ohms will sound more robust and controlled than a Class AB amp rated at 250w at 8ohms but whose power supply can only provide enough current for 300w in to 4ohms before clipping hard. When speaker impedance dips low, the 250w amp suddenly runs out of puff. Within a short time, distortion shoots up steeper. This is what's talked about in terms of 'quality watts' and how lower power rated amps with good power supply designs can give the impression of more power. On top, the distortion figures might not be as you assume. A conservatively rated 125w amp may have 0.5% distortion at full output. A 250w amp may already have a higher distortion % at 125w output. It depends on how the manufacturer pitches the product (is it going to push its max output figures or distortion figures. I've had amps that uses 1% distortion as the basis of its max output rating when the amp itself can push more power out before topping 5%.) and the parameters in which it conducts its test. Power figures has more to it. IMO, it's best to get the 'cleanest' output to a maximum required for a particular speaker room combo and typical SPL listening. For my needs, I'd spend my money on the better electronics for my needs rather than power output ratings.
Great topic! Most interesting in the matter of only loudness is not resistance or peak power of a speaker! It is efficiency of the speaker. Resistance: A so called 8 ohm speaker has a resistance curve across the frequency band, that moves between maybe 3.5 and 30 ohms, depending on the frequency. A so called 4 ohm speaker behaves the same, just a bit lower in total. Power: So if you have normal standing speaker with an efficiency of 87 db @ 1 Watt, in 1 Meter distance (thats the normal disclosure and normal value), you can add another 3 db, because you have normaly 2 Speakers with same power driven. So you got 90 db in 1 Meter distance @ 1 Watt per chanel. You need approx 10 times the amp power to double the output of your speakers, thats + 6 db! You have @10 Watts - 96 db @100 Watts - 102 db @1000 Watts - 108 db. If you have the Klipsch RF7 for example, they have 102 db @ 1 Watt, 1 Meter - 1 Speaker. 2 Speakers 105! 18 db more than the other mentioned! 8 times louder! Distance: Then you can remove 6 db per double the distance. Because nobody sits in 1 Meter distance to the speakers. Lets take both examples. Most people sit 4 Meters away. Values free air! Reflections add something. Klipsch RF7 Max: 1 Meter = 123 db; 2 Meters = 117 db; 4 Meters 111 db. The normal ones Max: 1 Meter = 108 db; 2 Meters = 102 db; 4 Meters = 96 db. So you can drive the Klipsch or other high efficient speakers with less than a Watt to have 80 db on your seat. (Normal listening level) Others need 5 or 10 Watt for the same loudness. But all of this does not tell anything about sound quality ;-P
For years I drove Klipcsh Kg4 speakers with only a 68 watt amp. The setup out preformed almost anyone else’s. Those 43 year old speakers still sound great, have upgraded and changed the amp 3 times in that period
Hi Steve, totally agree! Efficiency / Sensitivity of speakers are so much more important in terms of Sound Quality. I’m not talking about Dynamics or Soundstage or even Clarity.. when I say sound quality I am talking about the realism of the music.
Years ago, my best friend set out to build a super system. He bought some huge Klipsch speakers and his amp was a high powered Crown. I can’t remember the wattage of the amp, but it was a Crown, powerful enough to push a rock band’s PA system, so I’m sure it was at least 500 watts. Overkill for sure, but he wanted the biggest and the best. He set up a special listening room in his house, and built the rack right into the wall with glass doors and all. It was really a first class set up. Then, one day while he was at work, his 13 year old son decided to take dad’s system for a spin at maximum volume. It was a classic example of why you don’t really want or need too much wattage. The Crown amp immediately blew both speakers out and they cost a fortune to get repaired. I took a lesson from that and now, I run a vintage 40 watt Pioneer amp with speakers that are rated at 250 watts each. I think my speakers are safe.
If you crank that Pioneer amp, you will blow your tweeters. Crown makes crappy amps so your friend is just an uneducated fool. Crown also lie in their specs. Their amps are not powerful when rated properly.
Back in the 80's I had a Realistic STA-64B receiver. A whopping 18 watts per channel. That receiver is still to this day had one of the warmest sounds I have ever herd and being 12 years old when I got it (worked all summer for it) I had the cops called on me a few times for loud music over the years. There was 2 plastic screws on the board inside the cabinet that jacked up the gains for a little extra but we are still talking low 2 digit power. I recently found out the receiver was built with some pretty nice specs and had very low distortion. It did sell for 250 bucks in the late 70's so I guess should have been nice. So no, it's not all about watts.
I will stay with my Marantz 240 amp and 2385 reciever. I have tried new Pioneer ,Onkyo ,NAD,and Marantz from D&M .not one can match that warm sound my ears love. Steve is a bit younger than I am , But he knows the letdown of the 80s , and how many people kept the 70s audio (all the different brands that were great back then) now vintage is a huge industry. Speakers are a whole different but relevant subject.
My favorite expression when it comes to amps is..."Your amp is only as good as the first watt."If you keep that in mind you won't go looking for high power but quality over quantity.
Pioneer SX-780 45w .05% thd. HPM 100s, 92.5 db w/m, equals a really good match. I rarely go past 9 O'clock position. Very clear, clean and loud with plenty of headroom. It takes 4x the watts to double the volume.
I agree totally with the video, but also believe that an amp should have the necessary headroom to drive more difficult speakers like my AR3a's. Not so much in the "watts" department, but more importantly damping factor. I run my AR's with a JVC AX-Z 1010 with a modest 100 wpc, but a huge DF of 200! I am currently running them with a Sansui Eight rated at 60 wpc they should sound dull and lifeless, but this is one special little receiver and the synergy is Fantastic!
Nicely put Steve I'm loving my midfi $400 Yamaha amp with my midfi thousand-dollar elac Towers! I think for $1,500 bucks. it may not be top shelf stuff but enjoying them just the same thanks.
It depends on the speaker. I have 4 ohm speakers boasting 85db w/1 watt input. My preference is 150+ watts into 8 ohms; but only if the amp can remain stable, with low distortion, while delivering a true 600 watts into 2 ohms. The closest thing to it I have found was an amp made by 'Krell' in the early 1990's.
I dunno. You're being obsessed with power here. The only 150 watt amps sending 600 watts into two ohms are mono blocks. It really depends on how current thirsty an individual speaker is. Ur speaker sounds current thirsty but it depends how the phase angle/minimum impedance. Going by the numbers will send you insane. You have to listen...without bias....I dont read specs anymore. I just go for price appropriate and use my ears.
@@David-vb8tg I have a bunch of decent high current amps at 150-200 watts and my JC 1 mono blocks sound better in every aspect. Quality high powered amp tend to have a much higher pure class A range (25 watts with the JC1s). >1200 dampening factor and none of my smaller amps can compare to bass control. I use a 45 watt Parasound Zamp amp for my desktop setup and it sounds great with LS50s (in a small room. I have hooked the Zamp up to more efficient speakers (90dB) in my big room and it sounded lifeless and gutless. I don't listen very loud, but music can take several times the power for dynamic passages. My LS50s got sloppy way before the rated power when driven in a big room with a 150 watt Parasound amp. The LS50s were pumping serious tight bass (for small speakers) at 150 +watts and sounding all around clean when hooked to the JC1 mono blocks. My R900s also sound considerably better on the JC1s, as all of my speakers do. Not just the bass. The mids and highs are sweeter too. It might not matter in a small room, but in a big room it absolutely makes a big difference. Kef wouldn't waste money on a 200 watt amp to drive the bass in the wireless LS50, if they sounded just as good with a 50-100 watt amp.
@@gordthor5351 i just think its money. 20 grand stuff competes with 20 grand stuff. 5 grand stuff competes with 5 grand stuff. but you're talking about 30k worth of monoblocks. this is always going to out perform any hi-end 10kish integrated...
@@David-vb8tg Yes, but the points I made about higher class A, higher dampening factor and higher current, tend to be relative to output. Thus a bigger amp from the same brand and model of a smaller amp, will tend to rate higher on all 3 accounts.
Good afternoon, love your videos, great, keep it up. I had a question for you, well more like I need your advice. If you had your choice of one set of speakers between the Klipsch Cornwall IV or the Tekton encores,,,,which one and why. Please...
love highly efficient speakers, my diy bookshelves have 97db domes with 93db mids, don't need anything near maximum power handling to enjoy them at ear bleeding levels.
500 watts per channel powered amp is the perfect setting. "Why" the more powerful the amp the more sensitive the frequency. Not saying that you jam the amp out...just saying at low volume your speakers sound smoother with a high frequency amp. Also the perfect match for a 500 watt amp is 350 watt speakers that has an 4ohm midrange arrangement. Perfect setting!
So, my Arcam 850 (rated at 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms, two channel) going into B&W 804 D3 speakers, rated between 50 and 200 is under powering them? And you say that a higher powered amp at a lower volume would make the sound smoother? That's what I am looking for.
@@photomusicman9413 Yeah, I barely use 15 watts on average listening, when playing metal very loud on the hybrid amp I use around 35 watts. It all depend on the speakers though, my speakers are rated at 89 dB sensitivity, but if that would not have been the official spec, I would have sworn the speakers were ~92 dB per watt as loud as they are. ;) The sound pressure at 35 watts and about 2 meters from the speakers is then about the same as you would experience at some 60-80 meters from the stage at one outdoor concert. Meaning bordering to damaging my hearing. So 35 watts average when I play really loud, as metal is already compressed it don't go much higher, lets say peaks are ~75Watts. The speakers got a recommended power rating at 120-160 watts. Now the amp is is rated for 250 watts, I never have turned the volume knob over the 11 o'clock position. Holy I cannot imagine what kind of room one would have for using that 160 watts into those speakers - a concert hall? Like Serg I wonder what 'sensitive frequency' is. LOL
If you like bass then you can’t ever have too much power. Even if you have very efficient speakers. A few watts isn’t going to make Telarc’s 1812 Overture cannons explode with visceral authority. It’s like the difference between a car that has 100 lb ft of torque and one that has 500 lb ft of torque. It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Amplifier power is paradoxical. un under-powered amp can actually damage your tweeters due to clipping, if it's underpowered by about 20 to 50 percent of your speaker's power handling rating. Of course, with only a few watts, it is impossible to deliver enough current to blow the tweeters or midranges, no matter how much harmonic distortion in the amp. But driving 350 watt speakers with a 200 watt amp, then cranking it up to cause distortion, certainly can and will damage the speakers.
John Bond . Speakers don't have watts, the can handle certain voltage. As long as you mantain linearity within the amplifier parameters Absolutely nothing would happen.An analogy would be like saying you could blow a Ferrari by going 40mph. Again, as long as the amp is operated within its parameters
Clipping occurs if you drive the amplifier hard enough to cause power supply sag. That doesn't mean having 8 ohm 200W speakers on an amp with a 100W output rating is more likely to damage the speakers than having 8 ohm 100W speakers on the same amplifier. The load is exactly the same on both sets of speakers, 8 ohms. In fact the 200W speakers will be more tolerant of clipping than 100W speakers will because of the higher power handling.
Even an old but highly efficient speaker system can make an amp sound great. And at low volume you can still recognize each individual voice or instrument. Not so, with today's relatively inefficient systems which require expensive, high-wattage amplification components. If your audio system runs below the 90th percentile in measured tests, it is fairly low on the efficiency scale. And the intermodulation distortion at full concert volume levels can run as much as 25x that of a more efficient speaker. This is why speaker choice is the first consideration, around which other components must be configured.
I tend to see damping factor and overall circuit topology to be the main factors in a high-quality amp. Jean Hiraga's "Le Monstre" amp is only 8 watts per channel, but one look at the massive power supply tells you that it's gonna sound great (and run really hot).
I honestly don't even know how much power my amplifier can put out and I don't know how much my speakers can handle. I can hear the amp has control over the speakers and that's all that matters to me. When recommending cheap/affordable audio though I prefer to pick a bit more powerful amplifier to prevent clipping, but that's a whole different story.
50 watts is all anyone needs as long as this same amp will remain stable with 100+ watts into 4 ohms and 200+ watts into 2 ohms. Current is more important than watts.
I would like give my point of view, 5 watts would not be enough for me, unless as you mentioned, have speakers with hi sensitivity and to regards how high volume I want to play. My speakers sounds good at medium levels listening, but if I want to play a little bit louder, or are playing something with a high dynamic range, I can easily hear how the sound is changing (some might say that it sounds more "fun" ore the "speakers are really rocking" the music ore more distorted). But that is often because ether the speaker or/and the amp are starting to struggle, some like it, but I don't. A simple way is to test with a more powerful amp, or of you have a subwoffer, switch between with and without the subwoffer, if the you hear that it's sounding less distorted with a subwoffer, your amp or/and speakers are probably to small or not sensitive enough. But that doesn't always mean that someone are better of with a PA-amp with 6000 watts (over exaggerating).
Hey Steve, what is your opinion on using in line attenuators to lower the gain? I've head good things about the one's that Rothwell make, any thoughts or comments?
2 watts of class A will not be lacking in volume with those Zu speakers. I don't play loud rock 'n roll so my 2 Watt Decware amp is plenty loud through the Tekton Enzo 2.7
Look at the speaker sensitivity that gives you the db per watt. To give an example background music at a dinner party might be only 45db that just 0.5 watts. Or 90 db will have your neighbors banging on the wall at just 1 watt on a sensitive bookshelf speaker like the klipsch that Steve recommends.
in my book you need to set a budget first come the speakers, but can you afford the proper amp to drive those speakers? then there's the synergy between speakers and amp's. so i would first find the speakers where you really like there sound signature then look into to a proper amp to drive them and see it it fits inside your budget. if your going horns like Klipsch Legacy's or anything from Zu i would recommend tube amps for starters.
Hey Steve, what good quality amplifier. Would you recommend to run an 8 ohm Markbass 2x10 Bass cabinet. But not going to break the bank in price. As I don’t play every week anymore. At 60 years young. Lol I was looking at the Crown XLS Power Amps. And When they say. 350 watts into two channels. Does that mean 350 watts a Channel or 350 watts divided into two channels
Quality is everything. If the first watt sucks, why make another one? My Buddys 7 watt tube amp goes just as loud as my Yamaha when it pushes 40 watts. The tube amp wins hands down
Hello sir, how many watts does the abyss Diana need? Recently, there is new product from AK Kann Cube with 12 Vrms. Would that be enough? How is 12vrms translated in watts?
This is a very personal thing. Have a budget in mind find a hand full of speakers that you like the look of (they're furniture you have to live with) Then go to a bricks and mortar shop and audition.
You can never get enough Watts, but they need to be Nelson Pass Watts, not 'one channel driven into clipping' AV receiver Watts. Interestingly, one of the few AV manufacturers with a solid reputation for understating the power output of their receivers is Harmon Kardon - NAD is another and I suspect that Rotel is also in that exclusive club. Whatever the number is, it means nothing without independent measurements.
I have a 100 watt amp and a 70 watt amp which is so much more refined as you may no Steve and for the benefit of your viewers to get twice the sound pressure increase you have to double the watts so a more efficient speaker would be better
I know that this is an old comment to an old video but you need to realize what you are saying. I have a pair of speakers rated for 100 watts RMS and 250 watts peak at 8 ohms. I have a decent technics amp rated for 41 wpc RMS into 8 ohms. If the meter on the amp is anywhere near correct, I never push more than 5 wpc and I almost never go above 1 wpc. I get zero distortion, the music sounds excellent and the speakers are over 20 years old. The thing that you need to look for is impedance matching. Many amps that are rated for 8 ohms do not do well at 4 and fall apart at 2. Just some food for thought.
Hello, i'm glad you bring the subject up because i almost never thing about it. Anyway what i want to say is, how do i know if a speaker is efficient?? Does that affect the sound??
Speaker sensitivity is listed in its specifications in the owner's manual, or the manufacturer's website. 88 dB is average sensitivity, the higher the number, the higher the sensitivity. High sensitivity speakers tend to be more dynamically alive than lower sensitivity speakers.
1 real watt of music is fairly loud with efficient speakers. Sometimes amps sounds best when "pushed" a bit. Steve alluded to this. Just like an engine needs to get revved up a little bit, well not really like that at all, it's a damn analogy.
I must agree.Whenever I measured voltge on my speaker clamps in daily use it was less than 3 V which even with 1,4 factor for peak of power is less than 2 Watts. With this power my neigbours are able to know what I am listening. So even it is exciting for me it is too much - normaly it is about 0,5 W and with this power generated by Pioneer 17W tube amp class AB It is so satisfactory that I feel coup of caffe tiny vibrations at my arm chair.
I was trying to find a high watt amplifier to future proof myself as I’m going to get big floor speakers like the Heresy iv but it’s proving to be challenging. If it’s high in watts, it doesn’t sound that good and vice versa. Have the Cambridge audio cxa81 right now and just going to get another around 70-80 watts now and hope it lasts me a long time.
The Heresy IV speakers are a great choice. They sound great and are very sensitive/efficient, so they don’t need a lot of power to drive them to high volume levels. BTW, the Heresys are the smallest of the Klipsch Heritage Series. Look up La Scala AL5s if you want to see big floor speakers.
@@nomorokay I wanted the Heresy but were a bit too pricey for me right now. Ended up going with the KLH Model 5 and they are not as efficient as the Klipsch. Still wont need a crazy amount of power but I like to play loudly and they'll be in a decent sized room so still looking. The Cambridge EVO is perfect for what I need but also pricey. Trying to convince someone (sister, mother) with a bigger card limit than mine to get for me lol.
Connect 1 amp per speaker ( 1amp lft spkr/ 1amp rt spkr ) Would audio be louder/pwrful? Would amp be considered Monoblock? My JBL 4311's require pwr to turnover.
Ye, ye, ye... and no, no, no... In any case, at least you need, for SS and in AB configuration, 100W per channel in a form of mono block (min. 10 Kg of wight per block) to reach audio nirvana. All below it, can be subject to debates and discussions and with uncertain result. Peace
Speaker Efficiency. Most guitar speakers- say Celestion or Jensen-- are around 97-99db per watt. Some home audio speakers are also very powerful- the Klipschorns that Steve raves about are over 100db per watt. But many home speakers are only around 85 or 87db, so they need a lot more power to drive them to high volume.
can you explain the zu speakers? have heard the most awful things said about them. the first time heard the zu guy talk, couldnt get enough. what is the deal
It's the great debate between flat frequency response with a bunch of drivers and phase-coherent, full-range loudspeakers with fast transient response.
Its really about the least amount of power you need, innit ? If you only need 50W, you might as well spend the rest of your budget on getting a higher quality 50W, versus like he says, buy a 2500 2U dsd rackmount amp and listen to fan noise every hour it is powered on.
I would say 50 watts per channel is a good amount for most people most of the time, and can be the best bang for the buck. if you are buying a "50W amp" and not a "50W receiver." because you are paying for less circuitry, and the reduced circuitry can be much higher quality for the money. 50W is good even for floor standing speakers in a typical home or living room. 225W per channel is a pretty good size for "overpowered" studio sound, where often the amp is 2-3x more powerful than the rated capacity of the speaker cabinets.
So my question is...which components make the amplifier better. Ive been trying to buy an amplifier for a few months now and I can decide yet. Sometimes a take a look inside this amplifiers...does more electronics components means better? Meaning more capacitors, transistors, resistors..etc. I can't decide between some of these Onkyo, Marantz, or these new NAD class D stereo amplifiers.
That's impossible to pin down, but try looking at the amp's specs and make sure it can deliver double or near double the power from say, 100 watts per channel into 8 ohm should deliver at least 150 watts into 4 ohms. I find class A amps tend to sound better than class D amps. The $799 Outlaw RR2160 is class A, and goes from 110 watts for 8 ohms to 165 watts for 4 ohm speakers, for example.
Better quality parts and design mean sometimes less power sounds a lot better than more power with cheap parts. What kind of speakers do you have and what music you listen too is important as well as the volume you want and room size. That and how much you really want to spend of course.
In my ptractice I noticed already in 70 ties that it all is hidden in cooperation between feedback circuitry and speaker circuitry . The thing is that for evaluation of specs amplifiers are tested with resistance load. But real RLC load of different speaker systems makes it invalid. It cis not wrong - there is no standarisation in speaker system design, drivers differ a lot so only resistance may be treated as comparable standard. It is the real world where not everything is resolved. That is why it is not a matter of go and buy. If I would be in such position to go and buy I would choose only branded set like Bang & Olufsen where they matched all together.
Still you COULD and SHOULD have given a ballpark on how much power one typically needs. Now your viewers (at least those who are starting out on HiFi) remain clueless.
The more I get into hifi the more relevant and helpful Steve becomes! From an avid jazz pianist to an aspiring audiophile, I find a guy on UA-cam who at first annoyed me with his vagaries and relative dryness and now is someone I admire and love listening to! Kudos to you Mr Gutenberg. You are a gentle soul. Thank you. Gustavo, from New England
Are you a stand up comedian?
When I was in high school in the late 70s, all my friends were more concerned about the power than the sound quality. I rather have something with less power if it sounds good than a not so good sounding high powered amp. I really enjoy your videos. I look forward to seeing them.
Dear Steve, I agree with you totally. I had the kind opportunity to have a pair of Zu Soul Superfly in my home with the Almarro A250Amkii tube amplifier in my room: result, tremendous. And together they go louder than all I ever need!!! Dynamics? in aplomb too :-D
Warmest Regards,
~ ian
The "Coasting" thing is interesting. Current is more important than watts IMO, but unfortunately most manufacturers only spec watts, like auto manufacturers spec horsepower instead of torque. Horsepower won't tell you squat about how the car is going to perform from stoplight to stoplight around town, because it's only telling you the peak output of the motor near redline, somewhere almost nobody ever drives. That said, distortion increases gradually in an amp until it gets to it's max power, so I am a believer at least in many cases, all things being equal in the amps otherwise, you tend to get less distortion and any one power level, with a more powerfull amp. Take for instance a Parasound A23 at 125w x 2, and a Parasound A21 at 250w x 2. If you need let's say 60 watts to drive your speakers to a good level in your room, the A21 is going to sound better with less distortion. Internal parts are the same, construction is the same, but the A21 sounds better. I've done the swap personally. Even though 60 watts is nowhere near clipping on the A23, the A21 still does it better. Some really powerful amps start to suffer and sound slower, but that's another issue for another discussion. Current is more important. In the case of super efficient speakers like Zu or Klipsch Heritage, this theory goes right out the window. Then you're probably focusing almost entirely on tone. But with speakers with normal sensitivities, like between 84-92db needing over 10 watts, it's always seemed to me that more power/current sounded better.
Power is related to current for a given load. In the example components you mention, there is 'only' 3db difference between the full output of 125w amp and a 250w amp. Its double the power per 3db increase in SPL.
Current capacity provided by the power supply and the topology of the amplification affects performance markedly. Example: 125w at 8ohms Class A amp with a stiff power supply that can double its output (250w) in to 4ohms will sound more robust and controlled than a Class AB amp rated at 250w at 8ohms but whose power supply can only provide enough current for 300w in to 4ohms before clipping hard. When speaker impedance dips low, the 250w amp suddenly runs out of puff. Within a short time, distortion shoots up steeper.
This is what's talked about in terms of 'quality watts' and how lower power rated amps with good power supply designs can give the impression of more power. On top, the distortion figures might not be as you assume. A conservatively rated 125w amp may have 0.5% distortion at full output. A 250w amp may already have a higher distortion % at 125w output. It depends on how the manufacturer pitches the product (is it going to push its max output figures or distortion figures. I've had amps that uses 1% distortion as the basis of its max output rating when the amp itself can push more power out before topping 5%.) and the parameters in which it conducts its test. Power figures has more to it.
IMO, it's best to get the 'cleanest' output to a maximum required for a particular speaker room combo and typical SPL listening. For my needs, I'd spend my money on the better electronics for my needs rather than power output ratings.
The volume on your videos need extra watts
Yes, yes it does! I looked over at my amp to see if the issue was at my end.
Yuval Legendtofski first thing I noticed as i listened 😂😂😂
Clean your ears.
He was only using 5 watts!!!!
You might be deaf?
1.21 gigawatts , ask Marty or dr Brown.
Great topic!
Most interesting in the matter of only loudness is not resistance or peak power of a speaker!
It is efficiency of the speaker.
Resistance:
A so called 8 ohm speaker has a resistance curve across the frequency band, that moves between maybe 3.5 and 30 ohms, depending on the frequency.
A so called 4 ohm speaker behaves the same, just a bit lower in total.
Power:
So if you have normal standing speaker with an efficiency of 87 db @ 1 Watt, in 1 Meter distance (thats the normal disclosure and normal value), you can add another 3 db, because you have normaly 2 Speakers with same power driven. So you got 90 db in 1 Meter distance @ 1 Watt per chanel.
You need approx 10 times the amp power to double the output of your speakers, thats + 6 db!
You have
@10 Watts - 96 db
@100 Watts - 102 db
@1000 Watts - 108 db.
If you have the Klipsch RF7 for example, they have 102 db @ 1 Watt, 1 Meter - 1 Speaker. 2 Speakers 105! 18 db more than the other mentioned! 8 times louder!
Distance:
Then you can remove 6 db per double the distance. Because nobody sits in 1 Meter distance to the speakers.
Lets take both examples. Most people sit 4 Meters away. Values free air! Reflections add something.
Klipsch RF7 Max: 1 Meter = 123 db; 2 Meters = 117 db; 4 Meters 111 db.
The normal ones Max: 1 Meter = 108 db; 2 Meters = 102 db; 4 Meters = 96 db.
So you can drive the Klipsch or other high efficient speakers with less than a Watt to have 80 db on your seat. (Normal listening level)
Others need 5 or 10 Watt for the same loudness.
But all of this does not tell anything about sound quality ;-P
For years I drove Klipcsh Kg4 speakers with only a 68 watt amp. The setup out preformed almost anyone else’s. Those 43 year old speakers still sound great, have upgraded and changed the amp 3 times in that period
Hi Steve, totally agree! Efficiency / Sensitivity of speakers are so much more important in terms of Sound Quality. I’m not talking about Dynamics or Soundstage or even Clarity.. when I say sound quality I am talking about the realism of the music.
Years ago, my best friend set out to build a super system. He bought some huge Klipsch speakers and his amp was a high powered Crown. I can’t remember the wattage of the amp, but it was a Crown, powerful enough to push a rock band’s PA system, so I’m sure it was at least 500 watts. Overkill for sure, but he wanted the biggest and the best. He set up a special listening room in his house, and built the rack right into the wall with glass doors and all. It was really a first class set up. Then, one day while he was at work, his 13 year old son decided to take dad’s system for a spin at maximum volume. It was a classic example of why you don’t really want or need too much wattage. The Crown amp immediately blew both speakers out and they cost a fortune to get repaired. I took a lesson from that and now, I run a vintage 40 watt Pioneer amp with speakers that are rated at 250 watts each. I think my speakers are safe.
If you crank that Pioneer amp, you will blow your tweeters. Crown makes crappy amps so your friend is just an uneducated fool. Crown also lie in their specs. Their amps are not powerful when rated properly.
Back in the 80's I had a Realistic STA-64B receiver. A whopping 18 watts per channel. That receiver is still to this day had one of the warmest sounds I have ever herd and being 12 years old when I got it (worked all summer for it) I had the cops called on me a few times for loud music over the years. There was 2 plastic screws on the board inside the cabinet that jacked up the gains for a little extra but we are still talking low 2 digit power. I recently found out the receiver was built with some pretty nice specs and had very low distortion. It did sell for 250 bucks in the late 70's so I guess should have been nice. So no, it's not all about watts.
My mid eighties Nad 3150 is only rated at 45 or 55 watts, but it's dynamic range pushes almost 1000 when needed. I love it.
Two Watt Decware Super Zen Triode amp with Dirty Weekend Zen speakers, heavenly sound. Near Field listen at 80dB with room to spare.
Thanks, Steve. I drive my speakers with a 7 watt PP 6BM8 matched pair per channel and they rock!
I will stay with my Marantz 240 amp and 2385 reciever. I have tried new Pioneer ,Onkyo ,NAD,and Marantz from D&M .not one can match that warm sound my ears love. Steve is a bit younger than I am , But he knows the letdown of the 80s , and how many people kept the 70s audio (all the different brands that were great back then) now vintage is a huge industry.
Speakers are a whole different but relevant subject.
My favorite expression when it comes to amps is..."Your amp is only as good as the first watt."If you keep that in mind you won't go looking for high power but quality over quantity.
Pioneer SX-780 45w .05% thd. HPM 100s, 92.5 db w/m, equals a really good match. I rarely go past 9 O'clock position. Very clear, clean and loud with plenty of headroom. It takes 4x the watts to double the volume.
Question in title: How much power do I need?
Answer: Quality power.
I agree totally with the video, but also believe that an amp should have the necessary headroom to drive more difficult speakers like my AR3a's. Not so much in the "watts" department, but more importantly damping factor. I run my AR's with a JVC AX-Z 1010 with a modest 100 wpc, but a huge DF of 200! I am currently running them with a Sansui Eight rated at 60 wpc they should sound dull and lifeless, but this is one special little receiver and the synergy is Fantastic!
Nicely put Steve I'm loving my midfi $400 Yamaha amp with my midfi thousand-dollar elac Towers! I think for $1,500 bucks. it may not be top shelf stuff but enjoying them just the same thanks.
No matter how powerful your amp is, it's always nice to have more.
Just like the length of the villy...
I was happy with my Lepai 2020A+ on a pair of huge klipsch Icon36 towers w 3 6.5"s. Got loud enough for the woman to yell"TURN IT DOWN!!"
It depends on the speaker. I have 4 ohm speakers boasting 85db w/1 watt input. My preference is 150+ watts into 8 ohms; but only if the amp can remain stable, with low distortion, while delivering a true 600 watts into 2 ohms. The closest thing to it I have found was an amp made by 'Krell' in the early 1990's.
I dunno. You're being obsessed with power here. The only 150 watt amps sending 600 watts into two ohms are mono blocks. It really depends on how current thirsty an individual speaker is. Ur speaker sounds current thirsty but it depends how the phase angle/minimum impedance. Going by the numbers will send you insane. You have to listen...without bias....I dont read specs anymore. I just go for price appropriate and use my ears.
@@David-vb8tg, Going by sound to your ears is 'old-school smart'. I think you and I would get along fine.
@@David-vb8tg I have a bunch of decent high current amps at 150-200 watts and my JC 1 mono blocks sound better in every aspect. Quality high powered amp tend to have a much higher pure class A range (25 watts with the JC1s). >1200 dampening factor and none of my smaller amps can compare to bass control. I use a 45 watt Parasound Zamp amp for my desktop setup and it sounds great with LS50s (in a small room. I have hooked the Zamp up to more efficient speakers (90dB) in my big room and it sounded lifeless and gutless. I don't listen very loud, but music can take several times the power for dynamic passages. My LS50s got sloppy way before the rated power when driven in a big room with a 150 watt Parasound amp. The LS50s were pumping serious tight bass (for small speakers) at 150 +watts and sounding all around clean when hooked to the JC1 mono blocks.
My R900s also sound considerably better on the JC1s, as all of my speakers do. Not just the bass. The mids and highs are sweeter too. It might not matter in a small room, but in a big room it absolutely makes a big difference. Kef wouldn't waste money on a 200 watt amp to drive the bass in the wireless LS50, if they sounded just as good with a 50-100 watt amp.
@@gordthor5351 i just think its money. 20 grand stuff competes with 20 grand stuff. 5 grand stuff competes with 5 grand stuff.
but you're talking about 30k worth of monoblocks. this is always going to out perform any hi-end 10kish integrated...
@@David-vb8tg Yes, but the points I made about higher class A, higher dampening factor and higher current, tend to be relative to output. Thus a bigger amp from the same brand and model of a smaller amp, will tend to rate higher on all 3 accounts.
50 real watts of vintage Marantz for the living room. 15 bogus watts from my junky yet stylish Bang & Olufsen for the bedroom.
Good afternoon, love your videos, great, keep it up. I had a question for you, well more like I need your advice. If you had your choice of one set of speakers between the Klipsch Cornwall IV or the Tekton encores,,,,which one and why. Please...
I dig the short vids on specific topics
Right. Those PassLab amps I have seen have only 50 or so but cost around 15k. They sound MUCH better than all of the $5000 300 watt amps I have heard
love highly efficient speakers, my diy bookshelves have 97db domes with 93db mids, don't need anything near maximum power handling to enjoy them at ear bleeding levels.
How do you measure quality objectively and how can you measure power without distortion?
500 watts per channel powered amp is the perfect setting. "Why" the more powerful the amp the more sensitive the frequency. Not saying that you jam the amp out...just saying at low volume your speakers sound smoother with a high frequency amp. Also the perfect match for a 500 watt amp is 350 watt speakers that has an 4ohm midrange arrangement. Perfect setting!
Whaaat????
So, my Arcam 850 (rated at 125 watts per channel into 8 ohms, two channel) going into B&W 804 D3 speakers, rated between 50 and 200 is under powering them? And you say that a higher powered amp at a lower volume would make the sound smoother? That's what I am looking for.
@@photomusicman9413 Yeah, I barely use 15 watts on average listening, when playing metal very loud on the hybrid amp I use around 35 watts. It all depend on the speakers though, my speakers are rated at 89 dB sensitivity, but if that would not have been the official spec, I would have sworn the speakers were ~92 dB per watt as loud as they are. ;)
The sound pressure at 35 watts and about 2 meters from the speakers is then about the same as you would experience at some 60-80 meters from the stage at one outdoor concert. Meaning bordering to damaging my hearing.
So 35 watts average when I play really loud, as metal is already compressed it don't go much higher, lets say peaks are ~75Watts. The speakers got a recommended power rating at 120-160 watts. Now the amp is is rated for 250 watts, I never have turned the volume knob over the 11 o'clock position.
Holy I cannot imagine what kind of room one would have for using that 160 watts into those speakers - a concert hall?
Like Serg I wonder what 'sensitive frequency' is. LOL
If you like bass then you can’t ever have too much power. Even if you have very efficient speakers. A few watts isn’t going to make Telarc’s 1812 Overture cannons explode with visceral authority. It’s like the difference between a car that has 100 lb ft of torque and one that has 500 lb ft of torque. It’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
Amplifier power is paradoxical. un under-powered amp can actually damage your tweeters due to clipping, if it's underpowered by about 20 to 50 percent of your speaker's power handling rating. Of course, with only a few watts, it is impossible to deliver enough current to blow the tweeters or midranges, no matter how much harmonic distortion in the amp.
But driving 350 watt speakers with a 200 watt amp, then cranking it up to cause distortion, certainly can and will damage the speakers.
John Bond . Speakers don't have watts, the can handle certain voltage. As long as you mantain linearity within the amplifier parameters Absolutely nothing would happen.An analogy would be like saying you could blow a Ferrari by going 40mph. Again, as long as the amp is operated within its parameters
Clipping occurs if you drive the amplifier hard enough to cause power supply sag. That doesn't mean having 8 ohm 200W speakers on an amp with a 100W output rating is more likely to damage the speakers than having 8 ohm 100W speakers on the same amplifier. The load is exactly the same on both sets of speakers, 8 ohms. In fact the 200W speakers will be more tolerant of clipping than 100W speakers will because of the higher power handling.
Even an old but highly efficient speaker system can make an amp sound great. And at low volume you can still recognize each individual voice or instrument. Not so, with today's relatively inefficient systems which require expensive, high-wattage amplification components. If your audio system runs below the 90th percentile in measured tests, it is fairly low on the efficiency scale. And the intermodulation distortion at full concert volume levels can run as much as 25x that of a more efficient speaker. This is why speaker choice is the first consideration, around which other components must be configured.
Hey I met Linda Solomon she said she worked for chess records years ago .I enjoy your snow by for now.
I tend to see damping factor and overall circuit topology to be the main factors in a high-quality amp. Jean Hiraga's "Le Monstre" amp is only 8 watts per channel, but one look at the massive power supply tells you that it's gonna sound great (and run really hot).
My Audio Alchemy DPA-1 is a hybrid Class D amp (Class A input) and is sounds great, plus it's affordable
.
One of those silly questions like a car, "how fast does it go?"
I honestly don't even know how much power my amplifier can put out and I don't know how much my speakers can handle. I can hear the amp has control over the speakers and that's all that matters to me.
When recommending cheap/affordable audio though I prefer to pick a bit more powerful amplifier to prevent clipping, but that's a whole different story.
50 watts is all anyone needs as long as this same amp will remain stable with 100+ watts into 4 ohms and 200+ watts into 2 ohms. Current is more important than watts.
Everyone? Nope. Not everyone is going for loud or burning down walls with spl. I need about 1 watt. I rather have good sound quality than power
Hey Steve, what amp are you liking for those Maggie's?
The way your records are leaning against each other the ends of the shelves gives me anxiety
I have a 5 watts Class A Mosfet amp. Never turned it all the way up.
I would like give my point of view, 5 watts would not be enough for me, unless as you mentioned, have speakers with hi sensitivity and to regards how high volume I want to play.
My speakers sounds good at medium levels listening, but if I want to play a little bit louder, or are playing something with a high dynamic range, I can easily hear how the sound is changing (some might say that it sounds more "fun" ore the "speakers are really rocking" the music ore more distorted).
But that is often because ether the speaker or/and the amp are starting to struggle, some like it, but I don't.
A simple way is to test with a more powerful amp, or of you have a subwoffer, switch between with and without the subwoffer, if the you hear that it's sounding less distorted with a subwoffer, your amp or/and speakers are probably to small or not sensitive enough.
But that doesn't always mean that someone are better of with a PA-amp with 6000 watts (over exaggerating).
Instead of watts, I look at efficiency first.
Hey Steve, what is your opinion on using in line attenuators to lower the gain? I've head good things about the one's that Rothwell make, any thoughts or comments?
2 watts of class A will not be lacking in volume with those Zu speakers. I don't play loud rock 'n roll so my 2 Watt Decware amp is plenty loud through the Tekton Enzo 2.7
I also don't play loud so for my evening listening about 1 watt is enough
that first watt is first rate!!!!
Okay, so forget about Watts and focus more on quality. Cool.... how much quality do I need?
Droll! I love it! Now I want to build a tube amp with a bank of 6080's (6AS7's). Boo on the nay-sayers. Just like Paul Anka, I did it MY WAY. ;`>
Pick up the amp and start from there.
Look at the speaker sensitivity that gives you the db per watt. To give an example background music at a dinner party might be only 45db that just 0.5 watts. Or 90 db will have your neighbors banging on the wall at just 1 watt on a sensitive bookshelf speaker like the klipsch that Steve recommends.
in my book you need to set a budget first come the speakers, but can you afford the proper amp to drive those speakers? then there's the synergy between speakers and amp's. so i would first find the speakers where you really like there sound signature then look into to a proper amp to drive them and see it it fits inside your budget. if your going horns like Klipsch Legacy's or anything from Zu i would recommend tube amps for starters.
Hey Steve, what good quality amplifier.
Would you recommend to run an 8 ohm
Markbass 2x10 Bass cabinet.
But not going to break the bank in price.
As I don’t play every week anymore.
At 60 years young. Lol
I was looking at the Crown XLS Power Amps. And When they say. 350 watts into two channels. Does that mean 350 watts a Channel or 350 watts divided into two channels
Quality is everything. If the first watt sucks, why make another one?
My Buddys 7 watt tube amp goes just as loud as my Yamaha when it pushes 40 watts. The tube amp wins hands down
I love you so much,,tnx for learn to us♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Hello sir, how many watts does the abyss Diana need? Recently, there is new product from AK Kann Cube with 12 Vrms. Would that be enough? How is 12vrms translated in watts?
I also want like 500 watts so if I want to run 2 8 ohm cabinets. I know that I will have plenty of power. To power both cabinets together.
hi steve would you mind suggesting budget speakers for my yamaha as701 amp
This is a very personal thing. Have a budget in mind find a hand full of speakers that you like the look of (they're furniture you have to live with) Then go to a bricks and mortar shop and audition.
You can never get enough Watts, but they need to be Nelson Pass Watts, not 'one channel driven into clipping' AV receiver Watts. Interestingly, one of the few AV manufacturers with a solid reputation for understating the power output of their receivers is Harmon Kardon - NAD is another and I suspect that Rotel is also in that exclusive club. Whatever the number is, it means nothing without independent measurements.
I have a 100 watt amp and a 70 watt amp which is so much more refined as you may no Steve and for the benefit of your viewers to get twice the sound pressure increase you have to double the watts so a more efficient speaker would be better
When you double the Watts, you only get a 3 db increase in level. Idiot.
I have cambridge audio azur851a and I have to play it at close 1pm to get a decent sound, by no means party loud .
More watts are safer for speakers, do too the clipping you can run into by under powering them.
I know that this is an old comment to an old video but you need to realize what you are saying.
I have a pair of speakers rated for 100 watts RMS and 250 watts peak at 8 ohms. I have a decent technics amp rated for 41 wpc RMS into 8 ohms. If the meter on the amp is anywhere near correct, I never push more than 5 wpc and I almost never go above 1 wpc. I get zero distortion, the music sounds excellent and the speakers are over 20 years old.
The thing that you need to look for is impedance matching. Many amps that are rated for 8 ohms do not do well at 4 and fall apart at 2.
Just some food for thought.
Hello, i'm glad you bring the subject up because i almost never thing about it. Anyway what i want to say is, how do i know if a speaker is efficient?? Does that affect the sound??
Speaker sensitivity is listed in its specifications in the owner's manual, or the manufacturer's website. 88 dB is average sensitivity, the higher the number, the higher the sensitivity. High sensitivity speakers tend to be more dynamically alive than lower sensitivity speakers.
Steve Guttenberg Audiophiliac i see, thank you very much
1 real watt of music is fairly loud with efficient speakers.
Sometimes amps sounds best when "pushed" a bit. Steve alluded to this. Just like an engine needs to get revved up a little bit, well not really like that at all, it's a damn analogy.
I must agree.Whenever I measured voltge on my speaker clamps in daily use it was less than 3 V which even with 1,4 factor for peak of power is less than 2 Watts. With this power my neigbours are able to know what I am listening. So even it is exciting for me it is too much - normaly it is about 0,5 W and with this power generated by Pioneer 17W tube amp class AB It is so satisfactory that I feel coup of caffe tiny vibrations at my arm chair.
I was trying to find a high watt amplifier to future proof myself as I’m going to get big floor speakers like the Heresy iv but it’s proving to be challenging. If it’s high in watts, it doesn’t sound that good and vice versa. Have the Cambridge audio cxa81 right now and just going to get another around 70-80 watts now and hope it lasts me a long time.
The Heresy IV speakers are a great choice. They sound great and are very sensitive/efficient, so they don’t need a lot of power to drive them to high volume levels.
BTW, the Heresys are the smallest of the Klipsch Heritage Series. Look up La Scala AL5s if you want to see big floor speakers.
@@nomorokay I wanted the Heresy but were a bit too pricey for me right now. Ended up going with the KLH Model 5 and they are not as efficient as the Klipsch. Still wont need a crazy amount of power but I like to play loudly and they'll be in a decent sized room so still looking. The Cambridge EVO is perfect for what I need but also pricey. Trying to convince someone (sister, mother) with a bigger card limit than mine to get for me lol.
Sup Steve? By quality are you referring to thd ?
love the Adinkra symbols on your shirt.
It’s better to have more watts headroom than not have enough power
For most speakers you only need a few watt's. Don't you know that "audiophiliac"?
i whant to buy dynaudio 42, but i dont know wich amplifier to pair it with . i have dont have a big budget 😬 any idies?
Connect 1 amp per speaker ( 1amp lft spkr/ 1amp rt spkr ) Would audio be louder/pwrful? Would amp be considered Monoblock? My JBL 4311's require pwr to turnover.
My Yamaha 6a is 100w output looking to buy klipsch rp 504 center it 150 watts will this work will with receiver
I always thought if 100W speaker will need 100W or more power.....it works well.
I tried lower power..... something missing.
Btw, my room is 5m x 7m.
All the watts. Class D.
Ye, ye, ye... and no, no, no... In any case, at least you need, for SS and in AB configuration, 100W per channel in a form of mono block (min. 10 Kg of wight per block) to reach audio nirvana. All below it, can be subject to debates and discussions and with uncertain result. Peace
I always wonder why 100W marshall guitar amp is so insanely powerful. Even 30Watt guitar tube amp is really powerful compared to stereo home system.
Speaker Efficiency. Most guitar speakers- say Celestion or Jensen-- are around 97-99db per watt. Some home audio speakers are also very powerful- the Klipschorns that Steve raves about are over 100db per watt. But many home speakers are only around 85 or 87db, so they need a lot more power to drive them to high volume.
Auto generated caption read: 'audio FEELY ack' 😁
With good speakers like old Altec you dont need more than 5 Watt
Watts are like horsepower... current is like torque.
can you explain the zu speakers? have heard the most awful things said about them. the first time heard the zu guy talk, couldnt get enough. what is the deal
Speakers may be compaired to paitings. Some are blessed for reality, some for impression and some for abstraction :).
It's the great debate between flat frequency response with a bunch of drivers and phase-coherent, full-range loudspeakers with fast transient response.
Its really about the least amount of power you need, innit ? If you only need 50W, you might as well spend the rest of your budget on getting a higher quality 50W, versus like he says, buy a 2500 2U dsd rackmount amp and listen to fan noise every hour it is powered on.
I would say 50 watts per channel is a good amount for most people most of the time, and can be the best bang for the buck. if you are buying a "50W amp" and not a "50W receiver." because you are paying for less circuitry, and the reduced circuitry can be much higher quality for the money. 50W is good even for floor standing speakers in a typical home or living room. 225W per channel is a pretty good size for "overpowered" studio sound, where often the amp is 2-3x more powerful than the rated capacity of the speaker cabinets.
your movie needs more watts...the sound is too low!
I wish he'd stop saying he's the audiophiliac. It's sounds so fucking cheesy. He's an ordinary Hi-Fi enthusiast just like the rest of us!
Comfortably numb
and yet everyone claims you need a zillion watts or your amp "wont drive the speakers properly".
So my question is...which components make the amplifier better. Ive been trying to buy an amplifier for a few months now and I can decide yet. Sometimes a take a look inside this amplifiers...does more electronics components means better? Meaning more capacitors, transistors, resistors..etc. I can't decide between some of these Onkyo, Marantz, or these new NAD class D stereo amplifiers.
That's impossible to pin down, but try looking at the amp's specs and make sure it can deliver double or near double the power from say, 100 watts per channel into 8 ohm should deliver at least 150 watts into 4 ohms. I find class A amps tend to sound better than class D amps. The $799 Outlaw RR2160 is class A, and goes from 110 watts for 8 ohms to 165 watts for 4 ohm speakers, for example.
Better quality parts and design mean sometimes less power sounds a lot better than more power with cheap parts.
What kind of speakers do you have and what music you listen too is important as well as the volume you want and room size. That and how much you really want to spend of course.
In my ptractice I noticed already in 70 ties that it all is hidden in cooperation between feedback circuitry and speaker circuitry . The thing is that for evaluation of specs amplifiers are tested with resistance load. But real RLC load of different speaker systems makes it invalid. It cis not wrong - there is no standarisation in speaker system design, drivers differ a lot so only resistance may be treated as comparable standard. It is the real world where not everything is resolved. That is why it is not a matter of go and buy. If I would be in such position to go and buy I would choose only branded set like Bang & Olufsen where they matched all together.
Watts up
ok so now what?
Watts a What?
I mean show thanks
Still you COULD and SHOULD have given a ballpark on how much power one typically needs. Now your viewers (at least those who are starting out on HiFi) remain clueless.
Man, talking about HiFi, power and sound with such a poor audio quality in that video is just... :-)
THATS EASY.... TWO 1.2 KW MCINTOSH MONO BLOCKS...... DUH !!!!
Sure it;s enough?
Like your videos but why do you wear women's cloths from time to time?