Why do speakers improve with more powerful amps?

While it is fun to talk about our hobby, there are tons of opinions out there but it is up to each individual to decide what works for them.

No one would deny that "each individual to decide what works for them."

The point of these discussions is to understand some of the scientific principles so that individuals spend less time looking for needles in haystacks. Thus, it’s not just frivolity ("fun"), it’s about community inquiry and fact finding, where possible.

The conflation of inquiries into facts with some kind of abnegation of "individual decision making" is sort of dystopian; why would anyone suspect that?

@hilde45  I agree.  I've had a couple folks tell me in the 10's Dahlquist group TELL me I need 200 wpc and my amp will never drive them to their capability.  MY ears know what I'm hearing. How would they know? LoL  And being musicians ears that have listened to music since I was 13, I trust them.  I'm 68......

@carlsbad2 +1

I have a 450wpc amp that is outperformed by lower wattage amps. Many things are more important than power. This realization has me on the waiting list for a SET amp from Decware and I cannot wait!

I don't believe damping factor has been mentioned. Higher power amps tend to have a higher damping factor. With bass in particular, a higher damping factor provides better control of the driver and depending on the impedance of the speaker can result in more accurate reproduction.

So some people here would like for you to believe that Signal to noise ratio, Load on the power supply, ‘Q’ of an amplifier and probably a dozen other Electronic FACTs about amps has nothing to do with how they perform. Yes we have plenty of people here that make unsupported outlandish statement trying to make themselves s look like they actually know something about Sound reproduction. Talking about arbitrary factors that in them self have nothing to do with the argument. Try understanding what ‘HEADROOM’ is before opening your pie hole. And don’t be offended, I left out the juicy comments, but needless to say these types would have you believe that ALL of the specs published on your equipment is useless information.