Pass XA30.5 enough power for Wilson Sophia 2?

Addendum to my previous post:

The Stereophile site is up again, and it looks like I was correct that JA's measurements were for the Sophia, and not the Sophia 2. Also, his 88.3db measurement was not based on 1 watt and 1 meter, it was based on 2.83 volts and 1 meter (2.83 volts corresponding to 1 watt into 8 ohms).

2.83 volts into the nominally 4 ohm speaker impedance corresponds to 2 watts. So the 88.3db sensitivity JA indicated for the Sophia would be only 85.3db based on 1 watt into its nominally 4 ohm impedance, fairly close to the Sophia 2's specified 86db/1W/1m.

And I note also that the Sophia's spec is indicated in the Stereophile review as being 89db/2.83V/1m, which corresponds to 86db/1W/1m for its 4 ohm impedance, which is the same as the spec for the Sophia 2 that I used in my earlier calculations.

Best regards,
-- Al

FWIW I'm driving a pair of Dynaudio Sapphires, a similiar but not exact technical match for Sophia, with this amp.

The room is not "large" but as others have posted, the amplifier has plenty of guts and should drive your Wilsons fine albeit not to paint peeling SPL.

I also drive the Sapphires with a pair of Bel Canto Ref1000M (1000WPC into 4 ohms) and at moderate SPL they provide no better bottom end control than the Pass XA30.5.

YMMV

Dealer disclaimer

Al...I stand corrected. Thanks for clearing that up.

As Bill said, "the amplifier has plenty of guts and should drive your Wilsons fine albeit not to paint peeling SPL." That sounds right and good an answer as I think you can get without trying it in your room.

Expanding a bit on a point I mentioned earlier, the most important factor that determines how much power is required is the dynamic range of the music being listened to. Meaning the difference in volume between the loudest notes and the softest notes. Or perhaps more relevantly for some music, the difference in volume between the loudest notes and the average note.

It seems clear, based on several comments that have been made and on my calculations, that the amp should have no problem playing highly compressed, narrow dynamic range material, such as most rock recordings, at levels approaching 95db at the listening position. I doubt that any of us would want to listen that loud.

However, a symphonic work having wide dynamic range, if well recorded and minimally compressed, and if played with an average volume of say 70 to 75db, can be expected to at least occasionally have brief musical peaks that exceed the 100db maximum spl at the listening position that the amp/speaker combination is capable of.

Best regards,
-- Al