Watts vs input sensitivity __2 Different size Amps

I'm not sure what your doing...or what these guys are saying is even important.

I'm sure you know that the lesser power amp is the limiting factor.

Dave

I am driving a pair of Model 1 Totem speakers which has a sensitivity of 87 db @ 4 ohms with a passive preamp with a attenuator pot of 35 Kohms .I am not driving the Classe CA-101 amp hard at all but need a little more power without having the attenuator pot all the way turned up .I am wondering if I should change the pot to 20 Kohms or buy the CA-201?

The other option you should look at is getting a hotter source for your passive preamp! My Gamut CD1R outputs 4-5volts, Theta, Wadia, and a number of other CDP's or DAC's have outputs and this works great with passive preamps. Also if you are running a passive preamp you should be making sure interconnects are short (.5meter- 1 Meter max.

Doesn't the Attenuator Pot in the most wide open position provide the purest path if the pot is not resistor based? so it shouldn't matter that you are all the way turned up.

Someone else will better describe what I just butchered!

If you haven't tried a Placette Passive you should! it's an amazing piece of equipment and Guy is awesome to work with (you give him the specs and he will tell it to you straight!)

Chris

Sogood51: "I'm sure you know that the lesser power amp is the limiting factor.

That's true only if one generally drives the 100Watt amp so hard it clips OFTEN. If the 2 amps are driven so that the lower-power amp clips only occassionaly, the lower-power amp will NOT be a limiting factor.
.

Jasljis: "...need a little more power without having the attenuator pot all the way turned up."

The higher-power amp will NOT help if that's your 'problem', and, frankly, I don't perceive it as a problem, but it's not my system. :-)

If you want more level (volume) with the pot at a lower setting, you need a higher-GAIN amp, not a higher-POWER amp. Don't waste your money on a 201.
.