How much power is to much power?

I'm using 1000 watts into 4 ohms for my 91dB speakers. It's not a matter of speaker sensitivity or loudness, it's a matter of controlling the drivers. Speakers like Vienna Acoustics, B&W, Wilson, Dali and others have the best overall and bass response when the amp really damps and controls the large drivers, so, with these type speakers, generally more power will equal more control and better sound.

OTOH, some speakers are so efficient, approaching 100dB that you can drive the speaker with 10 watts and really control it with less than 100 watts.

What speakers are you driving?

Dave

As Newbee say, listen.

During you listening sessions include music with heavy, low bass, including synth, acoustic bass and electric bass. Quite often, switching from one amp to another is very noticeable in the bass.

Dave

I like Musicnoise's post and agree about the Mahler, but actually think that just about any well recorded Mahler will do. The Finales of #1 and #6 will test any system.

I'm a little surprise about the comment about piano sonatas. Well recorded piano has tremendous dynamic range, including loads of bass.

Dave

09-13-08: Shadorne said:
"For your current speakers 140 is far enough - same if you upgrade. Frankly if you need more SPL then get a bigger speaker (three way) rather than overdrive a small one - your little speaker will be mostly distorting when driven hard."

More power is not about SPLs, it's about control of the drivers, particularly in the bass. Listen and decide for yourself.

Dave

09-13-08: Vett93 said:
"What does "more control of bass" mean? If you meant sufficient current to drive the bass woofers without more distortion, then it is equivalent to a higher SPL. If you meant a higher damping factor, then it is independent to the wattage anyway."

I'm talking about effective damping, not damping factor. DF is part of the equation, but a 100 wpc with a damping factor of 1000 isn't going to control the woofers as well as my 1000 wpc amp with a DF of 1000. Someone up the thread said something along the lines that watts are like horse power. There's something too that.

Uncontrolled bass is too bloomy and resonant. An amp that grabs the woofers and prevents them from uncontrolled ringing is what's needed.

Dave

You probably like a little bloom in your bass, which is not uncommon. I listen to lots of music with tons of bass and I play in orchestras and bands with "real bass" so I don't like any added bloom.

DF is a technical term that doesn't adequately explain the ability of an amp to control the woofers. If your SET amp had a damping factor of 1000 it still couldn't control many woofers.

Dave

Baroque_lover probably doesn't need much power because, given his nom de plume, he only listens to baroque music. The demands are totally different from Mahler or even a Beethoven piano sonata.

He's right, he and I wouldn't buy the same systems because we have different priorities. IF you listen to very dynamic music, then power can be very important, particularly if you speakers can use the power.

Dave

Exactly Magfan. High power with low distortion equals control. A high DF helps only slightly in the control of the driver. The amplifier starts the drivers, accelerates them and decelerates them and stops them, all at a complex variety of frequencies. Doing all that with low distortion and ample power is key to control of the drivers.

Dave

I think that DF is slightly more than nothing, but not near so much as most audiophiles attribute to it.

Dave

Hah!!! Very funny exchange guys. That was very entertaining for me.

Good analogy Cyclonicman. It's very informative to go out back at many Porsche dealers to see the latest rolled up in a ball because some idiot thought it'd go around any curve at any speed. MOST drivers are not qualified to drive a Porsche at speed.

Maybe most audiophiles don't have sufficient sensitivity to set the volume control properly. Frying speakers is shouldn't happen if amps are used with care and levels are set at musical levels.

Dave