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help w/amp demo

On Friday, Sounds Real Audio of Golden, Colorado will be coming to my home to demo its Dehavilland 50a 40w tube amp w/my Aerial Model 9 speakers (full range, 90db sensitive, 4ohm). Given how good the 50a sounded at RMAF, I am very excited.

Nonetheless, while the 50a is designed to drive a bigger load than its specs would suggest, I am a little skeptical that it will be a good match w/the 9s (although I am hopeful). Thus, I have been doing a lot of reading on how to determine whether an amp is a good match w/a speaker and has enough power. In general, I think I have a handle on it.

One thing I don't understand is mention of a speaker making the amp "work too hard" as opposed to drving it w/"ease". I only understand that in the most general sense. My question is, how will I be able to tell if the amp is having to "work too hard" in driving my speakers? What should I look/listen for? Also, more generally, if people have ideas for how to decide if the amp is a good mate, I would love to hear them.

Thanks much.
128x128shredder
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shredder OP
113 posts
 
Oh, and I just looked at the Speltz autoformer (I use his anti-cables and ics and think very highly of them). Anyone have any experience using such a device?
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almarg
9,670 posts
 
I get the impression that the dynamic limitations of a less powerful amp may be less of an issue for non-classical music, which is less dynamic?
Yes, with some isolated exceptions here and there, well recorded classical symphony orchestra will have much greater dynamic range, and therefore require greater amplifier power, than pretty much anything else (including other forms of classical music, as well as the types you mentioned).

A particularly dynamic recording of classical symphony can easily have occasional brief peaks that are 30 db or more greater in volume than soft passages (30 db being a factor of 1,000 in terms of watts). Since it is typically the lower volume levels within that range that comprise most of the music, the volume control will be turned up to a much higher position for that kind of music than for, say, rock, most of which is compressed such that its volume varies over a range of only a few db.

So the occasional brief peaks in a well-engineered symphonic recording will demand much more power from the amplifier than pretty much anything else.

Regards,
-- Al
bizango1
276 posts
 
Take advantage of your willing dealer and reward him with a sale after you figure out what sounds good to you. I home demoed a well regarded 35WPC integrated amp with my PSB Synchrony One (88db sens) speakers and it was a complete disaster since it didn't have enough power for my speakers/room/preferences/whatever. Even acoustic piano notes distorted at "moderate" levels. I am accustomed to a bunch of SS watts. Sounds like you have a great dealer so let him do his job and give him the biz'.
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jaybo
4,478 posts
 
tube or ss, youre gonna need 'juice' for those speakers. atmasphere, arc and mac make some beefy units that match well eith your speakers....that said , your classe is a class act.
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