2. amps-preamps
  3. 179032-174629

Basic question about power/watts

Hi everyone - I have a question that I can't seem to wrap my head around.  

I purchased a pair of Magnepans a few months back. Honestly, I do not like them. They have their moments but overall, pffft.

So, related to this, I keep reading from various Maggie owners you need TONS of power to make these things sing rather than squawk. I bought a new amp that is rated at 80 wpc at 4ohms. This, I realize, is low power when I see these guys saying they are running some crazy amount like 600 watts per channel. Here is my actual question:

When you are listening to your speakers at a normal volume, the wattage you are using is not near the POSSIBLE output, correct? My 80 wpc is unbearable with the volume at the 11 o'clock position. Why does a person need or want 600 watts? I suspect I am missing something here. Maybe this has to do with why I dislike my Magnepans. Somebody take a moment to set me straight?

Thanks! 

timintexas

Showing 4 responses by ghdprentice

ghdprentice
6,435 posts
 

OP,

There is a place to put photos under your user ID… create a virtual system. This would be very helpful.

ghdprentice
6,435 posts
 

Yep, as mentioned above it is about high current more so than watts… altough there is a rough correlation. A high current amp will double the wattage between 16 ohm loads, 8 ohm loads and 4 ohm loads. Current is about the number of electrons available at an instant for transients.

 

Under powered planar speakers sound flat, because they require lots of electrons flowing through them. The amp needs massive power supplies.

The other thing is that planar speakers like Maggie’s are extremely sensitive to placement. They can sound terrible without careful placement. I have owned planar of some kind for over 30 years… and a 1/16th of an inch move can significantly Impact the sound.

Photos of your system would be very helpful. There is a place under your user ID.

ghdprentice
6,435 posts
 

The difficulty with Maggie’s and subwoofers is the integration.  The Maggie’s are really really fast… dynamic woofers are slow. The only great integration I have heard is really big Maggies with lots of power. This can be subtle… so may definitely not be a problem for the OP.

One of the reasons I moved to all dynamic speakers is the inability to create a really coherent sound top to bottom using planar and dynamic.

ghdprentice
6,435 posts
 

OP,

I would take your time and enjoy the process. Don’t be in a hurry. It is important to read through the hype and think about what you value. Make it a fun and calculated  process. There is a lot of ambiguity in what vendors are selling, what you want, and how it will work together.

 

Slow, thoughtful decisions are the way to go. As you develop a solid sense of what you want, your ability to differentiate subtleties in sound quality will develop. So, for instance, adding a subwoofer could be a great solution for you… for now. Then 10 or 15 years from now that would be something that doesn’t work at all for you.

 

Read, read, read… think about what you are hearing and what you want. When you are sure you have found a match… act. Then evaluate, did what you expect happen? Listen for a few hundred hours. Then plan you next step.

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