Is this enough power?


Does a 30w per channel 845 SET amp have enough power to drive 88.6 db at 6 ohm speakers at moderate level of volume. room is 14x18x9 and open at one end into the kitchen. mostly listen to jazz and classical.

Thanks
audioman999
If the speakers are of moderate phase angle, you're good to go.

Large phase angles or large phase angles at impedance mins will tax the amp.
A key factor is the dynamic range of the music you are listening to (the difference in volume between the loudest and softest notes). You mentioned listening to classical music. Well recorded, minimally compressed classical symphonic music can often require 1,000 times as much power on brief peaks as on soft notes (1000x power = a 30db difference in volume).

So I would expect, for instance, that the system would have problems dealing with the bass drum on many of the older Telarc recordings. Likewise for some (many?) well engineered symphonic recordings on other labels.

Jazz and chamber music I would expect to generally be no problem.

Regards,
-- Al
My room is a 14x 18x 24 and I drive a pair of Focal monitors (1007Be around 89db) with a Cary SLI-80F1 in Triode mode (40w/pc) to extremely high levels (IMO). I listen to all forms of classical and jazz (vocals) along with classic rock.
I'll add some personal experience to my earlier comment. During the 1990's I was using 90db speakers having easy to drive impedance characteristics. In addition to some high powered solid state amps, I also used several different high quality vintage tube amps in the range of 20W to 60W, including Marantz 2's and 9's among others. This was in a 22 x 13.5 x 8 room, with a listening distance of 11 feet.

Recordings having either narrow or what I would characterize as moderate dynamic range, including many symphonic recordings, could be played with any of those amps at much louder levels than I or most people would want to listen at. However, occasional brief peaks on many symphonic recordings on labels such as Telarc, Sheffield, Reference Recordings, etc., could easily clip the amps that were in the 20 to 30W range. Using the Marantz 2's in triode mode (about 20W, from push-pull EL34's), a few recordings could actually arc the tubes, producing a bright blue flash.

So I guess the bottom line is that you'll be fine with most recordings, but not all.

Regards,
-- Al
My experience has shown that 30 watts may not be enough if you listen to piano or classical as the amp will most likely clip. I consider moderate levels to be up to 85 - 87db or so. Problem is you need headroom my friend and I really think your going to have problems.

Not all recordings have the same output level as you know and I have found a system like yours will run out of gas with 30 watts (at times). The amp will strain and be pushed with little or no headroom remaining. Perhaps you could "get away" with it and have it sound good most of the time. However, throw in a 100 watt tube amp and you will immediately sense what I am trying to say here.