250 watts: why so much power?


I have seen some really high powered SS amps on the market and I am wondering why so much power? These amps must get really loud. It sounds that they could easily blow an ear drum or two.
matchstikman

Showing 1 response by blkadr

More important than playing "extra loud" is the ability to play music at a moderately loud level without the clipping distortion and compression you would hear when using an amp that is not quite up to driving the speaker load. Its not all about your amp playing louder, just being able to handle the demanding peaks and keep control during complex passages.
Another dividend can be improved bass control and quality. Some speakers dont need much power but still respond in the bass region. Matching the speaker to the amp is the most important aspect.