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Current, Amperage


I’m trying to make sense of the argument about various types of speakers [ sensitivity, brand, etc ] and their relationship with power/ current/ amperage.

Can someone please provide some basic perspective.

I have a 91.5db tall floor speaker [ Focal Chorus 826V ] and what should I look for in an amp to drive these? How much power do I really need with all things being equal? I use a VTL tube 2.5 amp if that matters to the discussion.

Thank you.
adman227
elevick
2,439 posts
 
91.5 is fairly efficient.  For every doubling of wattage, you will gain 3db in volume.  2 watts is 94,5, 4 watts 97.5, 8 watts 100.5 and so on.  Every 10 db will give you a perceived doubling of volume.  
What does this mean?  16 watts should be more than enough and 40 should make these sing.
lilmsmaggie
273 posts
 
Put another way, the more efficient your speaker, the less power is required to drive them. According to the documentation on Focal’s website, recommended amplifier power for your speakers is: 40-250 watts

Isn’t the VTL 2.5 a preamp? What kind of power amp do you have?
g_nakamoto's avatar
g_nakamoto
177 posts
 
hey elevick, i've read the 'stereo review' magazine from 1970 till their retirement. jullian hirsh says the when you 'triple' your power, you will gain 3db in volume.
scorpio1951
171 posts
 
 Elevick is right. g_nakamoto, if Julian Hirsh said that when you triple your power, you gain 3db in volume, then he is wrong. Julian Hirsh also said that all well designed amplifiers sound the same. 
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
7,068 posts
 
Julian Hirsh also said that all well designed amplifiers sound the same.
He was certainly wrong about that, but it depends on what is considered 'well designed'. If the amp is designed to have good specs and that's considered good, that's one thing. If the amp is designed to adhere to the human hearing perceptual rules, that's another thing.

Two such amps won't sound the same- the specs on paper don't take human perceptual rules into account.
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