Current amp vs Voltage amp

"If that happens with less than 105 db, then its an indication that the system has some sort of odd ordered harmonic generation associated with its operation. A sound pressure level meter might be handy to sort out the actual volume level."

Maybe, but levels louder than 80-85 db (much lower) are often cited as the limits of safe listening without causing damage to ones hearing.

Even if you can go 105db, it may not be such a great idea to do so.

Maybe our hearing works a certain way with certain sensitivities for a reason?

I wonder what happens if one listens to nicely produced music, say a big band with lots of brass and high frequency energy live at 105DB? Is it as comfortable as listening to the no NF tube amp at the same level? Its a fair question, I think.

ANyway, its nice to know if one can go to 105db cleanly in any case. That's a pretty good indicator that you have the headroom needed for good results at more moderate volumes, where excessive loudness should not be an issue.

I believe that a traditional SS amp (one that was not designed for an ESL in mind) will likely sound mediocre 'cuz of the high capacitance load that will tend to make that amp oscillate & eventually fail. OTOH, if a SS amp is designed with an ESL in mind (& a few names come to mind that are being used successfully with ESLs & planars) then these SS amps will be effective.

Belief and reality are usually two different things. In this case I invite you to do the math. How much power will an ideal 400 watt SS amp make into 30 ohms and into 3 ohms? If you answer 'about 100 watts and about 900 watts' then you have some grasp of the problem.

Atmasphere, it was not clear to me what was being referred to. Al cleared that up for me - you were referring to speaker design & not amp design. I figured you were speaking of amp design given your vocation.
The "I believe" part was a way of writing in the English language. Maybe I should have written "I believe it to be true....".

Re. the math problem you cited, yes, I did get those values.
So? The amps I'm thinking of are capable of generating these kinds of wattages & sounding musical at the same time. Indeed that's what I was thinking in the 1st place when I wrote that post.....

Re. the math problem you cited, yes, I did get those values.
So? The amps I'm thinking of are capable of generating these kinds of wattages & sounding musical at the same time. Indeed that's what I was thinking in the 1st place when I wrote that post.....

I may have misunderstood, but I think Ralph's point is that a 9 to 1 ratio of power into a load based on its impedance vs. frequency characteristics would likely result in significant frequency variation driven from this amp. He earlier mentioned the higher impedance in the bass and lower impedance in the treble for ESL's and the bass weak and bright sound of SS amps driving them. I am "inferring" what he meant and bring no real expertise to this discussion; however, I am enjoying the discussion and thank all contributors for keeping it going.

I am "inferring" what he meant and bring no real expertise to this discussion; however, I am enjoying the discussion and thank all contributors for keeping it going.

Ditto!!!!

Often as the speakers impedance changes so does the the sensitivity, and that should correspond to flat frequency response from such a ss amp.