Paul Klipsch made that remark decades back when he was using a Brook 2A3 PP tube amp. Certainly 5 watts is enough to get orchestral SPL peak levels from a pair of Klipschorns!
Paul Klipsch was right - What the world needs is a good 5 watt amplifier
For those who are questioning whether a low power high quality amp would be able to properly drive any speakers I've recorded a short video demonstrating very high SPL level from a speakers with average sensitivity. The video is of very low audio and video quality as its recorded from my smartphone. However, the microphone used for measuring the sound pressure is MiniDSP UMIK-1 and the software used is REW (Room EQ Wizard). During the tests the amplifier didn't show any hint of stress of distortion
The speakers used in this video are Sonus Faber Olympica II and the integrated amplifier is Pass Labs INT-25. According to some third party reviews the Olympica's are thought load for the partnering amplifier as their sensitivity is averagely rated (88db) and the impedance curve drops down to 3 ohms in the bass region with a estimated EPDR (the point where the impedance curve is intersecting with the phase angle) of 1.6 ohms. The pass labs is rated at 25wpc @ 8omh and is said to be stable down to 1 ohm doubling its power at 4 and 2 ohms. According to the manual it can deliver 200wpc @ 1ohm before the protection circuit is activated.
So, the point of the video is to show that the Pass with its poorly rated power (25wpc) can drive even demanding speakers to insanely loud levels without any sound degradation.
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@mofojo : It's all in the circuit design! The PA5 uses quite advanced design - making it rate right up there with the Benchmark AHB2 amp - at 10 times the price! |
What is the point in comparing a class A S.S. amp to a SET 5 watt 2A3 amplifier? It isnt the power it is current vs voltage. No Jason it isnt just in the circuit design. If you want to spend less and think you get more that is fine, but please be quiet when people (presumably) who listen are speaking.
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Sensitivity isn't the issue as much as impedance curve. The Pass can handle it because those speakers are it's raison d'etre. A 300B SET won't do here.
Having said that I used 845SET's with Merlin VSM-MM, around 90db with pretty benign impedance curve. I doubt 300B could handle. I once tried for kicks 2a3 monoblocks I had at the time on the Merlins, nice transistor radio sound.
The problem with 5wpc amp is so few speakers allow for it. I'm not even sure my Klipschorns would be happy with less than the 8wpc my 300B amps provide. I was considering 2a3 or 45 amp until I saw a number of less than stellar reviews of the pairing. Khorns with shallow slope crossovers do have a bit of impedance concern, steep slope and drop down to aprox. 3ohms at 100hz. |
- 49 posts total