about the same spl 1000 watt for 86db 100 watt for 89db 10 watt for 92db so you see the input sensitivity is rather crucial but the most remarkable thing i've noticed is that a 10 watt single ended triode has the amplification value of a 100 watt or more solid state,(when listened too, not measured) on the same speakers. good luck with your quest, jack.
how much tube power is needed?
Let's say, for a 86 and a 92 dB efficiency speaker. SE triode fans say 10 W is enough, 20 W is more than you need. They use horns and high-efficiency speakers (> 92 dB sensibility). They say high-powered designs do not sound good at low volumes while driving high-efficiency speakers. Others (mainly push-pull fans) say that even though you have high-sensitivity speakers, the more watts, the better dynamic resolution. I don't want to launch a SE/PP war now. This is not meant to be a pure technical question, it also concerns musical taste. What is your experience with these?