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Is it to much power?

I'm thinking of buying some new amps and i like the line from Pass labs.I like the x600 monos the best.My question is if a speaker is rated for 30 to 200 watts can a 600watt set of mono blocks be bad for these speakers??The speakers are Artemis EOs sig/Large bass modules.They say these speakers are capable of playing at really loud levels.I Dont really listen to my music that its hurting my ears but i dont listen at wisper levels either.
spaz
11 responses Add your response
spaz OP
105 posts
 
Thanks for all the comments.i'm going to have to make my mind up on what i'm going to do..As for the pass amps i heard them some time back and the sounded very uncolored plus they are beautiful looking amps.
fatparrot
1,314 posts
 
When powered by transistors, I used to always make sure that my amps were rated to at least the speakers maximum RMS [not peak!] power rating.

When it comes to tube power, I try to get the power mid-way, say a speaker rated at 40- 100 watts RMS, I will try to keep the amp power midway [60-75 watts].

And with horn speakers or extremely high efficient speakers, more power is NOT more desirable!
jmcgrogan2's avatar
jmcgrogan2
6,346 posts
 
No, it's not too much power.
satch
329 posts
 
If you want the x600's and you can afford them, buy them. If you crank up the volume and something starts to distort, turn them down. But I'll imagine your ears will protest before your speakers do. Or the neighbours.....
gregm
3,405 posts
 
I would prefer to slightly underpower speakers than overpower them
If you mean, operate the speakers slightly below their spec'd limits (~100W?) -- agreed.
If, OTOH, you mean not having enough amplification power to meet these spec'd limits -- don't do it! Clipping can damage the drive units!

The idea being that, even if the amplifier's energy output exceeds the speakers', one probably won't play loud enough to reach thermal limits; with an underpowered amp, you can easily hit clipping!
phd
1,314 posts
 
I would prefer to slightly underpower speakers than overpower them. I have heard amps that overdrive speakers by sheer current delivery & the results in terms of sound quality was horrible! Speakers can be rated let's say at 200 watts but can handle 500 watt peaks (pay attention to this spec) & would probably be fine using a 300 to 400 watt per channel amp.
unclejeff
1,313 posts
 
Getting an amp that can deliver more than what your speaker's manual requires is not, in itself a problem. If anything, an amp running at something less than capacity will probably sound better. Not your case, but this is a given with tube amps.

Warning: watch out for those really rare(?) moments when your volume is turned at full...don't know why, but this just sometimes....happens.

Too much of anything can hurt, especially the tweeters.
aball
2,016 posts
 
If the X600 monos strike your fancy, by all means go for them. There are zillions of amplifier options out there so why not choose the ones you most desire? They won't be too much power for your Artemis unless you try to clip your amps but I doubt you will do that.

Arthur
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,678 posts
 
Those are marvelous speakers and the Pass amps should be just fine, although I have not heard them with those amps.
newbee
4,767 posts
 
You really can't have too much power, but you can sure use too much power! I would imaging that a high quality 200wt amp would be more than you would ever need and probably wouldn't cost near as much. If you've never heard this amp and your speakers, in your house, why do you like the Pass amps? They sure look nice and they've got a great reputation but that doesn't mean you'll like them or that you need them either.

FWIW. Your money.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
you're fine
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