Is too much power in an amp really a problem?


As recently as 8-10 yrs. ago, I maintained my card carrying residence in the ‘lots o’ watts’ camp’ regularly. I’ve since held only a casual attendance to that group, and since departed with the acquisition of higher eff speakers, and lower powered tube amps.

Now I’m debating the future and appropriateness, of that perception and considering another SS, or a non tube amp. This time a digital amp… such as a class D or ICE configuration… as in a Bel Canto, PS Audio, Spectron, Wyred 4 S, etc., to use for both music and HT with my current Silverline speakers.

Several of these amps profess IMO rather high ratings for output power. 250, 300, and 500 wpc into 8 ohms, as your ‘oh by the way’ choices, and then doubling up should the impedance drop off to 4 ohms!

1000 wats per!

E frekin' Gad!

Truth be told, I’ve never put together a high eff speaker & high powered amp combo, nor felt the need, so I’m in a whole new ball game now, or am I?

I understand immense power reservoirs on tap, (like with my former BAT vk500) is a good thing, as well as are other attributes like a good input impedance, and control or damping figures. that amp ran VR4 JRs though, and both have since departed la casa Sunburn.

Additionally, my current tube mono blocks (120wpc) handle my 93db Sonata IIIs quite well IMO. My Odyssey Stratos SE also does a good enough job too rated at about 160 wpc. Between the two amps, the Dodds are the better sounding, and appear to have better control and more ease with the Silverliness.

In making a choice on one of these Digital or ICE amps, should the power numbers be regarded as something other than what they are? I mean more likely, do 250 wpc into 8 ohm rated ICE amps provide likewise results or the same feel, of an SS amp having the same output? Ie., control, power reserves, etc?

I do feel a good match between the speakers and amp is a prime consideration now, and do not wish to buy far too much or too little an amp, given these thoughts.

There too is the thought of the amps actual 'voice' itself to consider.

I sure wouldn’t want to smoke the speaks with too little or too much power on tap. Or have the amp ()s) always loafing. Or is that loafing bit just nonsense?

Any experiences and insights here on the digi power front is more than appreciated as I'm trying to get a 'feel' for this 'new to me' amp topology and not over or under buy.

Thanks much.
blindjim
Kijanki is right - an underpowered amp can clip when played loud, and clipping of an amplifier causes high-frequency harmonics that are routed to the tweeter by the crossover, possibly overloading it.
Jim, in the Rowland lineup, there are 3 amps that may fit the bill if you augment them with a JRDG PC-1 rectifier:

Model 102 stereo -- 100W over 8 Ohms.
Model 201 monoblocks -- 250W over 8 Ohms.
Continuum 250 -- 250W over 8 ohms also contains linestage circuit of Capri preamplifier.

The PC-1 seems to greatly enhance musicality of these amps. Similar active power factor correction (PFC) circuit as the PC-1 is already built into the 312 and the Continuumm 500.
"Kijanki is right - an underpowered amp can clip when played loud, and clipping of an amplifier causes high-frequency harmonics that are routed to the tweeter by the crossover, possibly overloading it."

Yes, I have seen more speakers fried this way than any other over the years.
"Kijanki is right - an underpowered amp can clip when played loud, and clipping of an amplifier causes high-frequency harmonics that are routed to the tweeter by the crossover, possibly overloading it."

This is often what makes a system sound "perceptively" loud when in reality it isn't at all loud. When you have 15" subwoofers with 1000 watt amplifiers that can still clip then it is not hard to imagine that you can exceed any amplifiers requirements (no matter how big) if you go loud enough and deep enough in frequency.

Jaymark's example of a biamped speaker eliminates the problem - you still get crytsal clean highs even if you bass is clipping somewhat.

The issue is to determine whether your listening levels are high enough to often cause clipping distortion in some musical passages.
Guido is our resident shill for Rowland.

See the posting history for verification.