1. Home
  2. amps-preamps
  3. 1244027822

Is too much power in an amp really a problem?

As recently as 8-10 yrs. ago, I maintained my card carrying residence in the ‘lots o’ watts’ camp’ regularly. I’ve since held only a casual attendance to that group, and since departed with the acquisition of higher eff speakers, and lower powered tube amps.

Now I’m debating the future and appropriateness, of that perception and considering another SS, or a non tube amp. This time a digital amp… such as a class D or ICE configuration… as in a Bel Canto, PS Audio, Spectron, Wyred 4 S, etc., to use for both music and HT with my current Silverline speakers.

Several of these amps profess IMO rather high ratings for output power. 250, 300, and 500 wpc into 8 ohms, as your ‘oh by the way’ choices, and then doubling up should the impedance drop off to 4 ohms!

1000 wats per!

E frekin' Gad!

Truth be told, I’ve never put together a high eff speaker & high powered amp combo, nor felt the need, so I’m in a whole new ball game now, or am I?

I understand immense power reservoirs on tap, (like with my former BAT vk500) is a good thing, as well as are other attributes like a good input impedance, and control or damping figures. that amp ran VR4 JRs though, and both have since departed la casa Sunburn.

Additionally, my current tube mono blocks (120wpc) handle my 93db Sonata IIIs quite well IMO. My Odyssey Stratos SE also does a good enough job too rated at about 160 wpc. Between the two amps, the Dodds are the better sounding, and appear to have better control and more ease with the Silverliness.

In making a choice on one of these Digital or ICE amps, should the power numbers be regarded as something other than what they are? I mean more likely, do 250 wpc into 8 ohm rated ICE amps provide likewise results or the same feel, of an SS amp having the same output? Ie., control, power reserves, etc?

I do feel a good match between the speakers and amp is a prime consideration now, and do not wish to buy far too much or too little an amp, given these thoughts.

There too is the thought of the amps actual 'voice' itself to consider.

I sure wouldn’t want to smoke the speaks with too little or too much power on tap. Or have the amp ()s) always loafing. Or is that loafing bit just nonsense?

Any experiences and insights here on the digi power front is more than appreciated as I'm trying to get a 'feel' for this 'new to me' amp topology and not over or under buy.

Thanks much.
blindjim
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
Jim, even within the ICE amps, there are 500W, 250W, and even 100W PC units over 8 Ohms. There is probably no need for you to acquire a set of monos that deliver 500W over 8 Ohms, but perhaps some of the lower powered units may do very well. I am thinking for example about the Bel canto Ref 500 monos, that deliver 250W PC. They are said to be even sweeter than the Ref 1000 Mk.2 that I have just reviewed for Positive Feedback. Then there are the 100W per channel amps like the Rowland 102 stereo, which is said to sound very sweet but I have not heard.

I suspect that with any powerful amps on efficient speakers one of the keys may be a pre with very fine volume control granularity. e.g. the JRDG Capri I use yields 0.5db steps on the dual speed volume control.
viridian's avatar
viridian
4,184 posts
 
The hobby is dominated by fashion, flavor, and dogma. Today it will be SE tube amps and horns, tomorrow 1000 watt SS amps and 80db sensitive speakers. Switching amps, chip amps, tubes made of unobtainium, magic, religion, faith, hope. I love this game!
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
I don't think you need a lot more power than you have. Are you hearing any distortion at typical high SPL levels and do you like to crank it often or do you play bass heavy stuff a lot?

Those are all nice high quality drivers in your speakers (the Sonata III's are excellent value for awesome sound, IMHO). they could certainly take more juice but the question is really more down to whether your ears demand it?

I could not find an impedance plot but an unusually low impedance or sharp drops might be the best indication that you might benefit from doubling or tripling your power. On a smooth impedance load at 93 db sensitivity my guess is you don't need more power.
dodgealum's avatar
dodgealum
976 posts
 
I'm no expert on the subject and certainly do not have an electrical engineering background but I really wonder whether these Class D (and other) switching amps are as powerful as their specifications would suggest. Clearly, they produce power more efficiently than Class A or AB designs, but do they really have the ability to deliver copious amounts of current when called upon to do so? Case in point: I recently went from and Audio Research 150.2 (a Tripath-Based switching amp--or Class T) to an Audio Research SD135 Class AB design. The 150.2 is rated at 150wpc into 8 ohms, doubling into 4 ohms. The SD135 is rated at 130wpc into 8 ohms and 230wpc into 4 ohms. Question: Which amp is more powerful? Easy, right?--the 150.2. However, when one looks at peak current capability, the SD135 puts out THREE TIMES as much current (60amps vs. 20amps) as the 150.2. And then there is the listening where the SD135 is way more dynamic, with gobs of headroom, much greater control and authority in the bass and the ability to play louder without a hint of strain or distortion. And, I would add, the 150.2 is a much more robustly built switching amp than the Bel Canto's, Channel Islands, ETC, ETC, which, if you look at the specs, are not able to produce the kind of current suggested by their WPC rating. If you buy into the Musical Fidelity "White Paper" on the subject of amplifier power, some serious questions are raised about the ability of switching amps to provide the kind of juice that is really necessary to convincingly recreate the sound of live music. Again, I'm no expert but regardless of their technological sophistication, I have a hard time believing that some of these flyweight amps are really up to the task, even when paired with relatively high efficiency speakers like mine.
mapman's avatar
mapman
15,679 posts
 
I would not pick an amp on power output alone. This alone will only determine how loud the system will play cleanly.

Alone it is not sufficient to determine how good the amp will sound in your room with your system. There is no simple answer for determing that other than "it depends".

Otherwise, its not a problem.
More to discover