Amplifier current vrs watts; why is current more important?


Lately when talking to knowledgeable people in the audio industry I’ve been hearing how current delivery is more important than watts in determining weather an amplifier will drive a speaker.
So what exactly is current and how does it effect speaker performance? How can a amplifier rated at 150 watts into 8 ohms vs one rated at 400 watts into 8 ohms be a better match for a hard to drive speaker?
hiendmmoe
hiendmmoe

Showing 2 responses by jjss49

@christianb5s4 

my personal opinion -- get a modern pass, coda or krell, you won't need to worry about the speakers being well driven, the parasound and musical fidelity are (slightly) lesser units 

I'm far from an electrical expert but I'm starting to understand the above. So far the criteria I've gathered from research is to look for:

  • Amps that double wattage from 8-4-2ohms
  • Amps that are 2ohm stable
  • Larger power supplies

Is there anything I'm missing in terms of specs to look for that indicate good current output? Amp manufacturers don't make this easy as many list out spec sheets with varying degrees of information.

i think you are on the right track, nothing substantive to add, good luck!