Any speaker can be damaged (usually to tweeter) by any amp when it clips, and all amps clip at some point.
30 watts to Dynaudios certainly has practical potential to clip and damage speakers if volume of peak dynamic levels gets too high. More power means less likelihood of clipping and damage generally, all other things the same.
Tube amps tend to "soft clip" meaning less intense waveform distortion occurs during clipping which also has lower risk of causing damage to speakers/tweeters. So 30 watts of tube power (soft clipping usually) is probably safer for the speakers in general than 30 watts of most but not all SS amps (SS amps tend towards hard clipping more in general than tube amps).
Clipping is always bad for the sound though, even if no damage occurs. Things may have a softer edge at higher volumes, but dynamic peaks that can be a big part of musical enjoyment must suffer to some extent when clipping occurs, which is more often than many people think, especially with good quality recordings. |
If you listen at "very low volume" levels, you should be fine. |
These speakers dont work well with tube amps, period. You should consider a quality solid state amp with at least 75watts-100watts. Dynaudio Contour series love power. |
Even if you crank your volume control, your volume level will be still very low. 30w tube amp will quarter the power to your speakers |
Thanks for all the input. So if the amp doesn't clip, and as long as I listen to music in very low volume, the amp will not do any damage to the speaker, right? Any tube amp to recommend? Thanks. |
I agree with Mattmiller. The Dynaudios love power, and in the end, higher power solid state will give a more satisfying result. |
How much power does he need to listen at "very low volume levels"? According to Dynaudio, his Contour 2.8's put out 87 dB with 1 watt of input. I'm assuming that he won't even be using 1 watt, since I do not consider 87 dB to be very low listening levels. So if he is not even using 1 watt, then 30 watts should be plenty. |
Yes, you would think so, but in my expereience with several monitors of the same efficiency, a tube amp of that power rating, (a deHavilland to be specific) was not up to the job of really controlling the speakers and making the sing as they should. And that applied at lower volumes as well. |
Technically tube amp won't clip but will simply sacrifice the power. To bring these speakers to 87dB you'll need muchmuch more than 1W. |
86 db is loud. I believe I listen to music at most at that level.
Is the sensitivity of this speaker measured by "2.83V/m"? 2.83 volt input and the microphone was placed 1 meter from the speakerÂs front baffle.
If most of the amp send 2.83V to the speaker, then I only need 2 watts if I sit one meter away from the speaker. |
Contour 2.8 has 4 ohm, so I guess it needs 2 watts of input to put out 87 dB. |
There is good 87 db and not so good.
More power and current = better 87 db with dynaudios.
Tube amps best apply elsewhere. |
Maple22,
Y our math is right, 2.83v at 4 ohm load= 2 watts required at 1 meter distance. May I offer friendly advice? Try the 30 watt tube amplifier and simply judge for yourself. There can be substantial differences between two amps with identical power ratings, quality matters a lot. At CES this year and last year in the Dynaudio room( this was a very generous size room by the way) they used the tubed German Octave amplifiers exclusively on their speakers. The sound and music reproduction both years was exceptionally good. You may find you prefer tube amps rather than solid state, who knows? Just try and hear your self. You're right maple22, 86 db is pretty
loud lf you don't suffer from a hearing impairment. At your specified listening requirements I suspect you'll be fine with 30 watts ( just demand high quality well built amplifier).
Good luck,
Charles, |
I drive Dyn C1 with a SET amp, tube amp, 30W and it's better then previous solid state 200W. |
sensitivity has nothing to do with weather the speaker is tube friendly or not. it's impedance. speakers with relatively stable impedance are tube friendly regardless of db/w/m.
the usable power is what actually defines the ability to drive the speaker.
theoretically you'll only need 2w of power(ha @1khz...), but if the impedance drops bellow 8Ohms the power halfs and even quarters. therefore chances that you'll be missing lots of resolution and you simply waste your money.
i bet it'll be dead silent in the region bellow 55Hz.
i'd use an additional high-pass filter in order to get descent performance above 55Hz where power isn't necessary. |
I've owned Contours and Confidence line and 30 watts isn't enough. Tubes are ok, but you need higher power. |
SET, 845 tube, 30W, class A has more then enough juice to drive Dynaudio C1. Bass, dynamics, all there. Loudness at 9 o'clock for normal listening. I used 200W solid state amp with C1 before. |
Alright, we have had a myriad of responses, all with different, and confusing results. So let's go back to the original question and take a vote:
"Will a 30 wpc tube amp damage Dynaudio Contour 2.8 speakers when listening at very low volume levels?"
I vote for no, using a 30 wpc tube amp at very low listening levels will not damage these Dynaudio speakers.
Remember, the question is not what amp you think will work optimally with these speakers, but will a low power tube amp damage these speakers at low listening levels. |
No way would there be any concern for damge, I wouldn't worry about this at all.
Charles, |
agree there's no damage concern. the volume will be low even if the volume setting will be at maximum. |
