preamp & amp compatibility
I'm hoping someone can look at the attached specifications for my dac/pre and tell me if the AMP spec's will be compatible with the dac/pre from a purely math perspective. I listen at medium volume levels and the speakers are Three-way, floorstanding, reflex-loaded dynamic loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) soft-dome tweeter, two 7" (175mm) carbon-fiber bass/mid units (each with 1.25" voice-coil). Crossover frequencies: 500Hz, 3kHz. Crossover slopes: 12dB/octave, 18dB/octave, 18dB/octave. Frequency response: 40Hz-25kHz, ±3dB. Sensitivity: 88dB/2.83V/m. Nominal impedance: 8 ohms.
POWER AMP SPECIFICATIONS: Power Output: Stereo, 8 Ohms: 20W RMS per channel Stereo, 4 Ohms: 40W RMS per channel Mono, 8 ohms: 80W RMS Frequency Response: 20Hz-20Khz, -0.1db, 3Hz-500KHz, -3dB THD: 112db, A-weighted, referenced to full output Damping Factor: >100 into 8 ohms, 20-20kHz Gain: 12 (22dB) Input Sensitivity: AKA Rated Output (Vrms)/Rated Gain. Or, 14.3/12. You do the math. Input Impedance: 22k ohms SE, 44k ohms balanced Crosstalk: >95dB, 20-20kHz
DAC / PREAMP Performance Specifications
| Specification | XLR Output | RCA Output |
| Output Level | 4±0.4 Vrms | 2±0.2 Vrms |
| Frequency Response | 20 Hz - 160 kHz (+0/-2.4 dB) 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+0/-0.04 dB) |
20 Hz - 160 kHz (+0/-2.4 dB) 20 Hz - 20 kHz (+0/-0.04 dB) |
| THD+N at 1 kHz (A Weight, 20 Hz- 20 kHz) | < -115 dB | < -115 dB |
| Channel Separation | > 120 dB | > 120 dB |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio (A Weight, 20 Hz- 20 kHz) |
> 120 dB | > 120 dB |
| Dynamic Range (1 kHz -60 dBFS, A Weight, 20 Hz- 20 kHz) |
> 120 dB | > 120 dB |
Thanks Much,
+1 @fuzztone @atmasphere and will add it’d also be helpful to find your speaker’s minimum impedance and at what frequency at which it occurs. I think you should go mono because a 20Wpc amp will likely strain to drive the speakers, and pushing an amp to near its limits is never good for optimal performance. Hope this helps. |
@cdtd The output impedance of the DAC is really what the question is. It should be no more than 1/10th that of the amp; so if SE then 2.2K max. Typically If there is an XLR output it should have no trouble driving an XLR input, but in high end audio you are wise to always check. In this case I think you have no worries. |
