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Is 5 Watts enough for Horns ?

How much power is enough to drive a 107dB sensitivity Avantgarde ?
Is 5 Watts from A 300B SET enough?
Consider that the Subwoofer of the Avantgarde has its own high power amplifier (each woofer 500 Watts)so the work in the bass department is largely taken up by the subwoofer amp.
I have seen McIntosh MC501 power amps connected to 107dB sensitivity Avantgardes and seldom did hit the 5 Watt mark on the meters when cranking the volume up to hurting levels.
0.5 Watts was what the meters show at normal listening levels.
eljaro

Showing 2 responses by tbg

tbg
5,263 posts
 
The best amp I heard on the Avantgardes was a 1.56 watt 45 tube amp from Exemplar Audio. I think that a 300B SET would certainly be powerful enough. I presently have 93 db efficient speakers and 300B amps are not enough.
tbg
5,263 posts
 
I doubt if you are ever using over .5 watts on either the Duos or Trios. In my experience as well as in a test done at the old VSAC in Silverdale WA, the 45 tube in its old American made form is clearly the best sounding output tube, if your speakers are sufficiently efficient. The old 2A3 single plates are close.

There are many variations in amps using tube output stages and certainly power supplies, parts quality, and other design features can alter the impact of the output tubes.

I have no experience with the 845 tube, but I have found great differences among 211s. Again the old RCAs clearly outperform the new Chinese tubes. So in reality we are talking not only about comparing 45s, 300Bs, and 845 but also NOS versus newer production.

The simple answer to the original posting is that the 8 watts from a 300B SET is quite sufficient for 107 db efficient speakers in the normal listening room.
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