More power or better quality power?


I use a 120 watt NAD integrated and a pair of Sonus Concerto Monitors (Home version), and a REL stadium III for the low end. I am researching new integrateds because my System sounds lifeless. My car system sounded much the same before I added a higher power (twice the wattage) and higher quality (3 times the price) amp. The difference was night and day. So I am wondering, do I need more power for my home system, or do I just need better quality power...or worse yet, BOTH! My room is pretty large (18 by 18 give or take, plus a high vaulted cieling). The system is tucked in a corner and i listen from about 8 feet away on axis. I listen to everything, but mostly rock. I was considering a 100 watt Primare that is on audiogon right now. I was going to go Plinius, but I think with warm speakers, and warm cables (cardas) That might be just too much warmth :)
Low level quality of sound is important because I do no live alone and don't want to need to crank it to get a good quality sound.

So, is bigger really better, or is it it the quality?
phoenix469
Bob_reynolds, in my opinion, a quality watt represents power that contains a highly desirable audio signal & is pleasing to the ear as opposed to mediocre sound.
Bob,

I would define a quality watt as follows. An amps ability to reproduce music accuratly without clipping or distorting. This may seem easy but without a quality power supply and a good supply of reserve power it is virtuatly impossible. Lets take a guitar if you are listening to music at say 5 watts the initial pluck of the guitar string may require 50 watts peak to peak to be acuratly reproduced. As the note decays of course the signal or power required reduces. It is the initial pluck that draws on the current reserves of the power supply.

Again a transistor or valve must not reach saturation during this initial pluck. There by clipping or distorting the signal. A transistor by its very nature will clip the signal. A valve will distort the signal. It is my understanding that some manufactures have what is called soft clipping circuits for their SS amps, so they act more like a valve amp at higher volumes. Valves and transistors have a maximum voltage rating at which point they will clip or distort. It is up to the designer to decide on what those ratings need to be to acuratly reproduce peaks in the music not just the max power of the amp.

A quality watt has nothing to do with the ability of the amp to play at ear splitting volumes. But as I said previously the ability to accuratly reproduce the music being fed to it at reasonable volumes. If you listen at ear splitting levels the only way to reproduce the music accuratly is with massive amounts of powerr and current reserves.

Hope I was clearer than mud.

P.S. My normal listening level is between 9 and 10 o'clock.
So, the problem remains: Is it wiser to invest in a new amp or integrated? Or is my choice of speakers to blame? Also, would using the NAD as a linestage be effective to drive a new power amp?
Bob, you should maybe just get out and listen to a bunch of gear; it would probably help you to understand what people are talking about when they say things like different amplifiers sound substantially different. You might become less set in your theoretical opinion that everything sounds the same.
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