More efficient and higher impedance speakers make a lot more sense than a more powerful amp.
High end high quality int. amp for low level listening
Hello to all Audigon members. I'm quite in a dilemma weather I should upgrade my amplifier. Currently I own Pathos classic one MK3 driving Sonus Faber Sonetto's speakers, and I must say I'm very happy with sound filling my 35 square meters room. However, it's known that the speakers are power hungry as they rated at 86db sensitivity and 4 ohm impedance and I think they will surely benefit from a bigger power supply. With all that being said I'm not sure if I will hear any improvement mostly because 90% of the time I listen at ~60dBs SPL. My budget is around 5k $ and these are the amplifiers I've been considering: Hegel H390, Anthem STR, Cambridge Audio Edge A, McIntosh MA5300/MA252, Accuphase e280, Rotel Michi x3 or used Pass Labs INT 25, Mark Levinson 5805.
What do you think guys, will any of the amplifiers make ay difference at 60dB SPL ?
What do you think guys, will any of the amplifiers make ay difference at 60dB SPL ?
Showing 7 responses by ditusa
@celestial__sound ''because 90% of the time I listen at ~60dBs SPL.'' At 60dB SPL your speakers are not getting 1 watt or 2 watts or 10 watts, in fact they are not even getting 1/2 watt. At 60dB SPL your speakers are getting milliwatts from the amp. In my experience driving low efficiency speakers with milliwatts they will sound anemic at low volume; high efficiency speakers can play well with milliwatts and not sound anemic at low volume. Also amplifiers, tube amplifiers for sure, produce more distortion in lower impedances then higher impedances. That's why I said higher efficiency and higher impedance speakers make more sense then a more powerful amp. Hope that helps... |
’’Maybe you’re right. But there would have to be a reason why the sounded better.’’ Because efficiency and sensitivity are not the same. See: tech note below page 1 section C: /www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/notes/tech1-3a.htm |
@holmz, The woofers in my speakers are the JBL 2234h. See: page 2 section C: internal design and construction last paragraph. http://www.lansingheritage.org/html/jbl/reference/notes/tech1-3a.htm |