Help please choosing AMP wattage for a newbe

"Although most amps will work with most speakers, few combinations are optimal."

That's been my experience - and hard learned. To me, putting an audio system together is like trying to build a Superbowl team; there's more to it than just matching the numbers - there's personalities to deal with. That's right! I said personalities. I have no tech knowledge so I use what I know. I wish you luck.

Stanwal
"Always buy the speakers first. They are the final element of your system and have the job of turning electrical energy into sound waves."

Buy the speakers first as they are the final element?

That simply doesn't make sense to me.

Audiofeil
"Read and learn."

“Quid pro quo”, Bill.

... "Buy and try" or better still, "it's what's up front that counts" or perhaps, "All roads lead to Rome".

Here's what I've learned from experience. I've found speakers in general aren't too unlike other components. In fact I believe placing the bulk of the funds into those items in front of them is the better path. This is also my experience.

In a perfect world we would all be able to sample or audition in our homes this piece or that, these speakers or those until we find the ones wwe truly want to live with till God comes.

it ain't... and we don't.

Few if any I suspect lay out immense bucks for their “final” speaker right off. Evacuating the budget and then adding a cjheapie int or amp, source and wires to run them with.

Perhaps we should ask, huh? Just how many folks bought their dream speakers as their first speakers?

But it’s easy enough to point to I guess. It just aint a practical method for many if not all.

I’d rather have any day a great front end and then mid priced speakers than to lay out for mega priced speakers possessing a mid level front end. Always. I’ve seen this proven out time and time again in my home and at dealerships.

It’s also a safer way to go as well.

Thankfully, we live in a world which allows us to proceed at what ever rate or in whatever fashion we choose.

Even if your aim was at buying the best speakers your budget allowed for, then placing the remainder into the front end, I’d still disagree that plan equates to better or the best sounding system.

When it is proven to me that superior transducers overcome inadequacies in a systems electronics then I will have learned something else. So far however, I’ve not seen it as the case in fact.

FWIW, I'm in the Audiofeil, Stanwal, Phaelon camp: choose your speakers first.

That was the classic Linn position, spend ALL the money on the front end. You can do it this way. But the fact remains , if it doesn't come out of the speaker you won't hear it. The variation in speaker sound is far greater than in front ends or amps. Nobody suggested that you immediately purchase the most expensive speaker system you can. Try to see what kind of sound you like and then purchase a used pair of speakers part way up the chain of that type of sound. You may love them forever or trade them off in disgust but you will not be out an exorbitant amount of money. The whole question is governed by your musical taste. What kind of music do you like to listen to and at what level. If you are a vinyl user there is something to be said for putting 50% or more in a turntable. If you use CD the case is different. Technology is advancing and by the time the rest of your system catches up to your expensive CD player it is likely that something cheaper and better will be available. The central thing in audio is to learn what kind of sound you yourself like. I see all these letters searching for THE BEST. There are many kinds of good sound , and even more of bad. But THE BEST does not exist.

Stanwal
That's an approach I can and have lived with.

The main issue as I see it is this… finding the sound you like. I had no idea eight years ago when I returned to this hobby I was indeed more taken by the sound of tubes until I heard some very good ones. Add to that I also find SS a nicety and even a real plus from time to time, so I am on occasion confounded.

Throw in the limitations on choices in and about my area in regard to both electronics and loudspeakers, and still more difficult it becomes to determine which is best for me.

Consequently I chose to go along the path of front ends having the priority over speakers. That does seem to work well too. Naturally, having speakers on the same level would indeed be a plus. Having the ‘right for me’ speakers yet a better one.

Having gone through about sixteen pairs of speakers in this same span, and far less turn over in electronics by and large, I do get your intent I think.

For me it has come to this… there’s tons of speakers out there. Way too many for me to investigate or audition in person. I neither have the time, inclination, or funds to pursue the exact units I’d want which will work the best for me, with my gear. Then of course it follows, I don’t know which ones are truly the best for me anyhow.

So I settle. I compromise. I accept what it is that I can live with that has the least flaws pretty much, and that I can afford, and give it my best shot.

Having had some Stereophile A rated speakers, and some B’s, my current mains satisfy. They are in my category of best so far. They likely aren’t my last pair though…. The next ones should be however, as I’m homing in. At least I hope so.

It’s a process for me, and for many others I believe due to the restraints I pointed out earlier on. Local availability, previews, and funding. Yes I do emphatically agree the best should mean ‘best for you’ as there really is no truly ‘best’ loudspeaker.

The one bit I keep coming back to is the part about if speakers are chosen first… “how will that make selection of the amp, preamp, source ”and cabling easier or better?” Unless you buy the whole system in which you previewed the ones that really floated your boat in the first place, I don’t understand.

In other words, How do you tell in advance how a speaker will react with components that haven’t been tried with it/them?... aside from perhaps the power requirements they may tend to enjoy?