tube pre & ss amp integrated

Just wondering why many people recommend low power amps just

because someone currently owns easy to drive speakers.

What if they want new Wilson, B&W, Magico or some other brand of inefficient speaker. The powerful amp that you like will power whatever you buy in the future

Removing the need of replacing something you already own freeing up additional

Cash to get a better what ever speaker.

I see no problem with saki70's plan at all.

@seekerbob

There are many ways to dissect the audio component combinations..

There are big sonic advantages to really stiff, hard to move cones…. They snap back quick, being very accurate… these cones can be very well controlled. But, to move the cones, you need massive power. But big amps are expensive and heavy and tend to be less musical.

There are sonic advantages to real low power amps… say a 300B amp. Wonderful warmth and musicality. But their power output is incredibly low. But there is a big limitation on the kind of speakers you can drive with them. You can see my systems under my UserID. I managed to use a 300B amp for my headphones. But to get similar sound with my Sonus Faber tower speakers (90db)… I needed to put a $34K set of tube monoblocks.

Even worse, electrostatic. I fell in love with these in the late ‘70s. But they need enormous power amps. They are really hard to drive. I brought a pair home and they just sucked my power amp dry and sounded terrible. I had to buy a really expensive amp Threshold s500 (solid state)… $5K… $18K in todays money. I couldn’t afford the speakers after getting the amp.

So, folks try and match strengths with strengths. Efficient speakers with low power amps and visa versa. Both strategies have merit.

@ghdprentice 

If you managed to find an easy to drive speaker that you like better than

Your Sonus Faber speakers ( I know not going to happen ) would your

mono blocks not be up to the task of driving them to their full potential? 

In other words I think your system probably would sound great with

The vast majority of quality speakers regardless of cost. 

@seekerbob,

It depends. I might have invested $10K or more that was unnecessary. With real inefficient speakers I might need more power. If the speakers were really warm the combo might not be ideal.

Also I know my tastes and what equipment sounds like what and which is compatible with what. MacIntosh equipment has a very specific sound type… and improperly matched with equipment / user taste can be very suboptimal.

I have fifty years of relentless learning and experience. For folks with less experience it can be overwhelming and just make things all too confusing to manage. I am trying to guide down a path most likely to result in a very happy owner.

In listening to some of the Pathos gear ...does anyone notice a mild midrange recess ? It seems to be a trait .