how much power

Rok2id, the amount of specified current isn't important. A stability to the certain load is. An amplifier that delivers 60W onto 4Ohms presumed to have sufficient current to drive 4Ohm speakers.

Marakanetz:

my amp is rated at 150 wpc and 45 amps per channel. my speakers are 88db 4 ohm. Is this a good match? Smallish room and modertae levels, so I have no complaints, just curious.

Unless there is some very ugly quirk in the impedance curve/phase profile of the Vienna speakers, I'd find it hard to believe that the Denon's 125 wpc amp section will not comfortably drive them to levels well north of 75 db in an 11 x 15 room. As to available current and stability into the load, I seriously doubt that you have an issue with either.

It is certainly true that SQ may vary from power amp to power amp. Designs differ and different amps each interact in their own way with any given speaker's load, but that's a different kettle of fish. You may well prefer a different amp, but I highly doubt that you NEED one to drive your speakers to your desired levels.

Whatever else may be going on here, this set-up does not appear remotely underpowered to me.

Marty

Roxito, good thread. I am currently researching the same scenario with my bedroom system, which consists of a Yamaha RX-V1800 receiver driving a set of Monitor Audio Silver 9i towers. The bedroom is the master, and not small, at 14 by 16 feet. I think the speakers are rated 6 ohm, but may drop lower than that. The 1800 is rated at 130wpc into two channels. But it seems that if I crank the volume even to what I would consider a moderate level, the sound gets "glassy", loses clarity, and generally gets somewhat unpleasant to listen to. Could be increased room reflections, but I think there is more to it than that. Could also be speaker cables, which are Goertz MI-2 Veracity.

Magfan,
I'm with you, just didn't want to get into all the advantages of Magnepans and answer the OP's question as to why "he" "may" need more than 50 watts. If I listened to the Left Brain crowd, I would have never tried a Cary 805 (50/70 watt SET) on my Maggies. That would have been a loss.