@thielrules
Music Reference Amp designer, Roger Modjeski, has been pointing out on a thread in the amps forum something I think we often forget: that most audiophiles often overestimate how much amp power they actually need. Most are barely using the power available in their amps, given typical listening levels. It often takes some significant volume to get them out of a couple watts. I tend to listen when sitting in front of the speaker to an average level of 70 to 75 db at most (though I crank it up when listening from another room). Apparently, my amp would just be cruising, barely breaking a sweat at those levels, even though I’m using a 140W tube amp.
I also have never noticed any sense of strain when I turn it up louder.Now if I truly cranked it REALLY loud levels, it could be a different story. But, as I understand it, if one’s listening levels aren’t terribly loud to begin with, then there’s no reason lower powered amps should be a problem on Thiels or many other speakers.
(I sometimes use my Eico HF81 on my MBL speakers which are a brutal 82 dB sensitivity, and it sounds plenty good to me, no strain that I notice).
There are of course other variables to consider: current, damping factor, bass quality, possible impedance interactions, the type of music one listens to in terms of dynamics/peaks and how loud. But in terms of sheer power, from what I understand, there’s not mystery why tube amps, which are so often much lower power than one can find in SS amps, often sound good with Thiels.
Music Reference Amp designer, Roger Modjeski, has been pointing out on a thread in the amps forum something I think we often forget: that most audiophiles often overestimate how much amp power they actually need. Most are barely using the power available in their amps, given typical listening levels. It often takes some significant volume to get them out of a couple watts. I tend to listen when sitting in front of the speaker to an average level of 70 to 75 db at most (though I crank it up when listening from another room). Apparently, my amp would just be cruising, barely breaking a sweat at those levels, even though I’m using a 140W tube amp.
I also have never noticed any sense of strain when I turn it up louder.Now if I truly cranked it REALLY loud levels, it could be a different story. But, as I understand it, if one’s listening levels aren’t terribly loud to begin with, then there’s no reason lower powered amps should be a problem on Thiels or many other speakers.
(I sometimes use my Eico HF81 on my MBL speakers which are a brutal 82 dB sensitivity, and it sounds plenty good to me, no strain that I notice).
There are of course other variables to consider: current, damping factor, bass quality, possible impedance interactions, the type of music one listens to in terms of dynamics/peaks and how loud. But in terms of sheer power, from what I understand, there’s not mystery why tube amps, which are so often much lower power than one can find in SS amps, often sound good with Thiels.