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Help please choosing AMP wattage for a newbe

After many years, I am finally in a position to put a nice system together - but not all at once..

Here is my dilemma.

I just purchased a Classe SSP 600 and I now need to purchase the amps. The amps I would like to purchase are Pass Labs X 350. My speakers are rated at 200 watt max. The reason I want the 350 is because next year I will upgrade my speakers and want an amp robust enough to handle future needs. However, I don't want to ruin my current speakers - Martin Logan Clarity and Dahlquist 28s.

Is there a way to make sure I don't damage my speakers before they are upgraded?

I appreciate the feed back.
spazz
elizabeth
6,726 posts
 
For example: you can plug in a 15 watt light bulb into a 20 amp circuit. The light bulb uses what it needs, If your fears were correct, the light bulb would explode the moment the current was turned on, because the 20 amps available is WAYYYYY more that the light bulb needs. Since that doesn't happen, your fears are also not going to come true.
(everyone is free to trash my analogy... however, it is a decent one for a electrical layperson)
The one exception would be a drunken partygoer turning the volume up to 100% on a heavy metal song.. this is a different problem than the one you seem concerned about.
blindjim
2,837 posts
 

yep.... just don't stand on the gas pedal and you'll be fine.
audiofeil
4,011 posts
 
I wouldn't buy an amp until the final choice of speakers is made.

The amp/speaker match is the most important in every system.

There's a good chance you won't need 350WPC.
blindjim
2,837 posts
 

Audiofeil

I wouldn't buy an amp until the final choice of speakers is
made.

I fail to see the reasoning here as to why speakers should be bought first, than an amp. Unless some esoteric speaker choice is ultimately made such as high eff horns are on the top of the short list. If someone is eyeing high current amp (s), I doubt horns are a recurring thought.

it looks like even money to me either way. Speakers then amp or amp then speakers. Both areas offer many choices of fine matches regardless which comes first.
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
Always buy the speakers first. They are the final element of your system and have the job of turning electrical energy into sound waves. The only other component which has a task like this is the turntable. They make far more difference than the amp. How will you know which amp to buy, you can't hear the amp without the speaker? Chose the speaker you like best and then chose an amp that maximizes it's qualities. If your favorite speakers are horns, you don't need 500 watts. If they are Apogee's , then SET is out. The amp is a tool to get the best performance out of a speaker, if you don't know what speaker you are using , how will you know which tool to select?
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