It was explained to me this way many years ago and I always reflect. My previous understanding was that amplifiers provide power to the speaker to use. It was best to get an amp that could match the power rating of the speaker. Now I think that the speaker DRAWS power from the amp. At different peak frequencies it will draw more or less. Also the more complex the music becomes. The amp one chooses must be up the task of provided all the power the speakers demand. If not, it will strain the amp and that can lead to distortion. The best amps have enough current to provide the power needed for the speakers demand. Be aware some speakers dip to a 2 ohm load or lower. Quality amps never sound strained to me. I always pick amps of high current capability, even if they exceed the power requirements of the speaker. To me, good quality watts means less distortion. This comes from quality parts, smart design and well built (often large) transformers. Anyone out there with electrical engineering backgrounds, please feel free to correct my simple understanding here.
