I have quite high-powered amps (McCormack DNA 0.5 monos, modded by SMC Audio, which put out several hundred watts each) driving relatively small speakers (B&W 805 Signatures) and I'm really quite happy with the setup. It took me some time to get things sounding right in this room, where I've been for about a year, but I'm enjoying listening to music these days, more than in recent times. I don't think that having lots and lots of power to spare is a problem. And once in a rare while, on a Saturday afternoon when I'm pretty sure that most of my neighbors are not in, I use a little of that power, letting the White Stripes or Neil Young or even J.S. Bach fill the room. And then, the mondo power is, um, powerful.
High power amplifier and small speakers??
As a general rule could one say that sound quality is diminished by using a powerful amplifier (150 w/ch into 8ohms) with small speakers (high sensitivity)? Would detail be lost at lower volumes? I am curios because I am planning on upgrading my amp but have small speakers (may upgrade later)/