2. amps-preamps
  3. 1244027822

Is too much power in an amp really a problem?

As recently as 8-10 yrs. ago, I maintained my card carrying residence in the ‘lots o’ watts’ camp’ regularly. I’ve since held only a casual attendance to that group, and since departed with the acquisition of higher eff speakers, and lower powered tube amps.

Now I’m debating the future and appropriateness, of that perception and considering another SS, or a non tube amp. This time a digital amp… such as a class D or ICE configuration… as in a Bel Canto, PS Audio, Spectron, Wyred 4 S, etc., to use for both music and HT with my current Silverline speakers.

Several of these amps profess IMO rather high ratings for output power. 250, 300, and 500 wpc into 8 ohms, as your ‘oh by the way’ choices, and then doubling up should the impedance drop off to 4 ohms!

1000 wats per!

E frekin' Gad!

Truth be told, I’ve never put together a high eff speaker & high powered amp combo, nor felt the need, so I’m in a whole new ball game now, or am I?

I understand immense power reservoirs on tap, (like with my former BAT vk500) is a good thing, as well as are other attributes like a good input impedance, and control or damping figures. that amp ran VR4 JRs though, and both have since departed la casa Sunburn.

Additionally, my current tube mono blocks (120wpc) handle my 93db Sonata IIIs quite well IMO. My Odyssey Stratos SE also does a good enough job too rated at about 160 wpc. Between the two amps, the Dodds are the better sounding, and appear to have better control and more ease with the Silverliness.

In making a choice on one of these Digital or ICE amps, should the power numbers be regarded as something other than what they are? I mean more likely, do 250 wpc into 8 ohm rated ICE amps provide likewise results or the same feel, of an SS amp having the same output? Ie., control, power reserves, etc?

I do feel a good match between the speakers and amp is a prime consideration now, and do not wish to buy far too much or too little an amp, given these thoughts.

There too is the thought of the amps actual 'voice' itself to consider.

I sure wouldn’t want to smoke the speaks with too little or too much power on tap. Or have the amp ()s) always loafing. Or is that loafing bit just nonsense?

Any experiences and insights here on the digi power front is more than appreciated as I'm trying to get a 'feel' for this 'new to me' amp topology and not over or under buy.

Thanks much.
blindjim
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Hmmm, looks like my circle of health conscious, Asian-food-loving, Icepower-module-twiddling friends may be greater than the threatened empty set after all.

BTW, Tofoo did not accompany the flat noodles with Tuk Ku choi tonight. . . slivers of tender pork lightly stir-fried with Chinese dried mushrooms of the genus Russula, soya sauce and garlic did instead. Of course, I did perfect my wife's fine preparation with a teaspoon of hot Chinese chili paste for good measure.

Now that all's well with the World. . . back to the music. Ms. Uchida playing Mozart on my 91dB sensitive Vienna Mahlers (V1.5 of course). Amplification courtesy of my 500W per channel Icepower-based. . . oops, but you already know that. (grins!)

G.

PS. Smile people, life's too short for long faces. . .
oshag
11 posts
 
Spectron - Awesome. Spectron amps deliver a natural and realistic sound for pretty much any genre. Immediately noticalbe are these attributes; transient speed with no overhang - resulting in a tremendous sense of control but in a very natural way, tonal rightness, lack of distortion, transparency - these are some of the descriptors that come to mind. The spectrons never sound cold or uninvolving. I've had the highly-touted Nuforce Ref9s and the Spectron amps sound righter to me. Although I don;t currently own the Musician III MK2 (yet) I do have, among other amps, the original Spectron 1KW (serial#2 John's personal amp)and serial #1 of the Model 10 preamp(a superb preamp) The 1KW, 'old buzzard' that it is, positively kicks the crap out of most amps - and I own or have owned some top amps. It makes me laugh the way people take everything the reviewers say as gospel. Some audio mfrs / press have tried to convince everyone that Class D is not reasdy for prime time. The best Class D amps are really and truly superb - and I do still have excellent hearing. Just listen to some little in-car and in-tv amps and marvel at how good they can sound for such a basic installation. that gentlemen, is Class D.
macrojack
1,303 posts
 
Kijanki - It appears that I missed your deadline. For next time it would be helpful to know where you are.

Guido - You describe food with the same lascivious glee as Hannibal Lector. That makes me wary of your menu.
guidocorona
4,298 posts
 
Oh Shucks Macro. . . now my dark secret's out! G.
blindjim OP
3,092 posts
 

Macrojack

Thanks as always, for the predominately insightful notes… albeit, 100 wpc isn’t 500 or 550 wpc. I do appreciate the efforts and time though

Kijanki - G-man

One practical part of this all is to have an enjoyable, user friendly exp. Not long ago I had a 250-400 wpc amp, w/26 db gain, and a pre w/23 db gain. I still have the pre…

The outcome with reportedly 89 db 6 ohm nominal’s combo did not allow for sweeping movements of the vol knob. The useable range of the knob became vastly reduced to an arc of around 20% of it’s normal span… or less.

This made for a tad more tedious use. Only little very quick zaps on the remote could be had to adjust the volume, thus very fine, precise sound levels may or may not be had. By the time the vol knob was at 10 am or so, one needed to be outside the home to prevent hearing loss with extensive listening periods. Normally, I’d not get much above the 9-9.30 range routinely.

That past exp while producing some really great sounds, hampered the exp with me always having to worry with getting to the ‘just right’ listening level… and of course, the ever present worry I could somehow nod off and somehow spin the vol up inadvertently some great degree and damage the speakers.

I see some wisdom in having finer control of the vol. Higher powered amps in my past reduced this greatly. I don’t recall getting my vol past 2pm in fact… and that’s a far cry from only being able to move it from 7.30AM to 9-9.30 before it’s very loud, and at 11 it runs you out of the house.

I figure impedance played a part in that scenario too. The BAT amp purported 100K… 50 + 50 on the xlr’s. I was only running RCA via adapters so 50K ??, back then.

The Wyred 4 report 62K roughly. Not sure as to Rowland, with some sort of imp matching device inline with the gain section.

My tube pre is 400 ohm output. My Onkyo Rec … well I’ve no idea but I’ll guess it’s higher by a good bit, given how it and the tube pre act with my SS amp… which may or may not make good sense to compare things that way.

Anyhow, I’d sure like to keep using at least half of the volume dial… not just 10-15% of it. I’ve noticed this vastly more sensitive vol knob action with SS amps having both high imp (100K) and good power, 150 to 250wpc into 8 ohms…. The higher the power the less I can move the volume knob.

Consequently, a 600 or 1000+ wpc into 4 ohm amp does imply a similar circumstance may well prevail again, were such an amp (s) be employed… or does this not reflect high powered ICE amp implementation?

Oshag

Not being the sort that unquestionably takes the notes of any reviewer as golden, I look for supportive comments from other's I trust more... here. Hemce my posted concerns.... duh.
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