2. amps-preamps
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Is there any truth to this question?

Will a lower powered amp that can drive your speakers, in your room, listening to the music you like sound better than using a powerful amp to avoid clipping?

Here's the scenario: Use a 50 w YBA amp to drive 86 db efficient Vandersteens in a 10 x 12 room, listening to jazz or

Will a 200 w Krell or such sound better and more effortless.

Some say buy all the power you can afford and others say the bigger amps have more component pairs ie) transistors to match and that can effect sound quality.
128x128digepix
digepix's avatar
digepix OP
121 posts
 
Back in the day 50 watts was powerful and 86 db/1 w/1 m speakers were fairly efficient. What changed that you need 92 db speakers and 200 watts to be happy. I do have more powerful amps a Krell KSA 100 and a Parasound A21 and I'm not impressed, besides I live in an apartment building in New York and I have to sit too close to the speakers. I just keep hearing you don't have enough power to drive your speakers from my friends. When I put the other amps in the system it seems to make my friends happier then me. That's why I posted this to see what you guys thought.
mcpherson
174 posts
 
I may have missed it in this post, but what type of preamp are you using?
I have been beating this to death on a couple different other threads but a recent preamp purchase for me changed the character of my system 100%. I guess my point being that before the pre.. I thought I had a lack of power because I was turning it up so loud to hear detail. I couldnt have been further from truth.
digepix's avatar
digepix OP
121 posts
 
Mcpherson I'm using a YBA preamp and amp. If anything it has too much gain. I can't turn it past 11 o'clock on the volume where I would prefer around 2 o'clock for the loudest setting. My D/A converter is 1.0V output so that helps compared to the standard 2V output of most cd players. My turntable I need to turn up a bit louder but no where past 11.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,584 posts
 
For your situation, listening nearfield and not at high volume, amp power is not likely the key to good sound.

If you take Minor1's advice and audition different amps to see what sounds best in your rig, don't count out some of the better Class D amps if you do look at amps with more power. Mine do quite well listening near field at lower volumes. But again, power alone is not likely the solution to your needs. Try some different amps and see what works best.
clio09
3,361 posts
 
Have you thought about trying a buffered preamp to eliminate gain in the preamp stage and give you more control over the volume range? Buffers from Pass, Burson, Dodd, or Horn Shoppe could work nicely with your YBA amp and they are very reasonably priced.
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