Need some Amp help - a little new to properly powering speakers


Hello. 

 I have some polk LSIM707s that I thorough enjoy.

However, at the moment I'm powering them using a Yamaha aventage 3070 receiver which at 150 watts at 8ohms sounds pretty darn good. 

However, since these are rated at 300 watts at 8 Ohms, I assume I will need some more power. I notice at lower volumes a lot of the imaging and clarity disappears. 

I am looking at buying a 300 watt emotiva Amplifier, or a 500 watt emotiva amplifier.

I'm assuming it would be better to purchase the 500 watt per channel emotiva so the speakers won't suck it dry or stress it. 

Am i wrong in this assumption? 
moskaudio

Showing 1 response by russbutton

The very first thing you need to know is that wattage rating on loudspeakers tells you exactly zero about how they sound.  All it tells you is that if you exceed that wattage, you can fry your loudspeaker.  

I think your current setup is actually quite well matched.   People who reside on the Audiogon forum will pretty much universally dislike both Japanese receivers and Polk Audio loudspeakers, but if you enjoy what you're hearing, then keep enjoying them.

If you really want to move up, then begin by listening to as many other loudspeakers as you can.  Visiting the local audio showrooms is OK, but your best bet is to meet other local audiophiles and listen to what they have.  Learn why they made the choices they did, both in loudspeakers and amplification.  

I have plenty of opinions myself, but what you really need to do is get more experience with the gear others own.