How Much Power Do Vandersteen 5a's Really Need?


I just made a deal for a mint condition pair of these. I've long wanted a really good pair of Vandersteens but didn't have the budget to play in that space. I've read a number of discussions here, and otherwise, talking about this, though they were somewhat older. Despite the fact that the low end in these speakers is internally amplified, and one would think even SET amps, or certainly just about any good push pull tube amp would power these superbly, people generally seem to be throwing a LOT of power at them. Am I missing something?

Any input, expertise, or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.
nightfall

Showing 3 responses by stringreen

yes, the more power the better they sound.....also (very important), you must have a high pass filter properly adjusted for your amplifier, or you can damage the speakers.   Don't just plug them in and play. 
Download the owners setup manual, and observe all they say.
The high pass filter reduces the lows at a specific rate, but the lows are increased at the same rate which gives a flat frequency response.