2. amps-preamps
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Power: Good or Bad

Assuming an amp has "enough" power to drive a speaker to satisfying peaks (115db?) do you find that lower-powered amps sound better than their higher power counterparts? That is, do lower power circuits inherently sound better than higher powered ones. I think Sam Tellif for one has made this claim in print. I assume that lower power amplifiers are simpler in design than higher powered, more complex designs with more tubes (or transistors), less wiring, etc. Or, do you feel that whatever price is paid for the additional complexity required to produce more power is a worthwhile trade off in terms of dynamics and "drive". I'm not necessarily thinking 4 watt SETs with super efficient horns, but maybe 30 watts driving 90db loads for example.
pubul57
mcpody
73 posts
 
Whether a low powered or high powered amp in the same line is "better" depends upon the rest of the system, especially the efficiency of the speakers. The best systems I have heard employ speakers that fully untilze the amplifiers power output; i.e. a high efficiency speaker that is designed to take up to 50 watts works very well with a 50 WRMS amplifier...it is using the full power output of the amp.

I own a Threshold T-200, a Class A amp rated 100W at 8ohms. It was said in the trades that the T-200 was a sweeter amp that the T-400, which put out 150 watts. I listened to the T-200 drive a pair of B&W 801s; and while it did drive the speakers, the T-400 really gripped the speakers and drove them more efficiently. At the same time, the T-200 did sound sweeter with speakers rated at 120 watts or less.

pubul57 OP
3,712 posts
 
No doubt an amplifier must provide sufficient juice to provide adequate output, and the most divine 8 watt amp will sound completely inadequate with a low efficiency speakers. But somehow, I suspect (sort of what I am asking)that lower powered designs are some how purer, more natural, as a result of a simpler, less complex approach. I'm not sure this is true, but I lean towards believing this to be true. It seems to me that high power output requires a lot of engineering and overbuilding, and that this affects sound quality negatively with too much complexity - in general. I think it takes great design ingenuity to design high powered amplifiers that sound as good as their low powered bretheren. But yes, you always need sufficient power for the speaker of your choice. I believe power requires some sacrifice in sound quality iwth advantages in sound quantity.
tvad
9,467 posts
 
Most SET amp owners will tell you they sound more pure and closer to the music, and SET amps certainly have less parts/engineering.

SET amps aside, however, I don't believe you can assume that low power in a push-pull design translates to more natural or purer sound than a high powered amp of the same design. It really has everything to do with the amplifier/speaker match...not only power/sensitivity, but also impedance match.

Few amplifiers sound more pure and natural than a high power, VAC push-pull amplifier mated with the proper speakers.
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