Shocked. Need Opinions. How muck power do I need?

this the most interesting thread I have read in a while and such good answers to the OP's question.

I have a theory that has borne out to be true to my ears and understanding as an eleectronics tech and just the different amplifiers I have lived with. Like many people, my original audio setup was very modest, at 5 wpc using a Heathkit stereo receiver, it was replaced with a 40 wpc (Dynaco SCA80-Q) and then a Hafler DH-200 at 180 wpc into 4 ohms, then an Adcom 325 wpc amp, and finally a variety of Carvers at typically 650 wpc (1.5t) was my fave of the bunch - The Carverrs were all 450 wpc or above and always each step taken up the power scale produced to my ears better sound at any level. So my theory is if your speakers are rated at 300w continuous than an amp of double that power is sufficient. This way amp will never struggle to handle the load no matter the source material being played, and it will never go into clipping or even close to it. This protects tweeters and provides the best possibility of clean output from the speakers. Anything less is a compromise.

@ssg308 - I had to laugh when you said its all class A, not because its not a great path to true hi fi, but I am gonna need to say some prayers for you in the summer time with those space heaters amping up the heat in your chilling space...and also for your monstrous electric bill. I can only imagine how much the power company loves you. But ultimately this hobby is about making decisions that are ultimately compromises in some way, some of them financial for sure with both the cost of the equipment and maintenance thereof and the power necessary to enjoy 115 db during some rock concert or movie that you want to hear at reference level or above. So many paths are valid ones to get to audio nirvana. :)

this the most interesting thread I have read in a while and such good answers to the OP's question.

I have a theory that has borne out to be true to my ears and understanding as an eleectronics tech and just the different amplifiers I have lived with. Like many people, my original audio setup was very modest, at 5 wpc using a Heathkit stereo receiver, it was replaced with a 40 wpc (Dynaco SCA80-Q) and then a Hafler DH-200 at 180 wpc into 4 ohms, then an Adcom 325 wpc amp, and finally a variety of Carvers at typically 650 wpc (1.5t) was my fave of the bunch - The Carverrs were all 450 wpc or above and always each step taken up the power scale produced to my ears better sound at any level. So my theory is if your speakers are rated at 300w continuous than an amp of double that power is sufficient. This way amp will never struggle to handle the load no matter the source material being played, and it will never go into clipping or even close to it. This protects tweeters and provides the best possibility of clean output from the speakers. Anything less is a compromise.

@ssg308 - If I understand your post, you are saying that the thing that matters more than absolute power output is the ability to supply current in sufficient amounts, so the output voltage across the speakers doesn't sag at the power point being supplied to the load. Of course this can happen simply by overdriving the amp, but the sneaky thing is that speakers present an ever changing load according to the applied frequency. So while the power available might great for say every frequency above 100 hz, there is that impedance dip somewhere in the bass region, say around driver resonance, or cabinet tuning point that changes everything. If the impedance goes too hi then the voltage across the driver can possibly go outside the safe operating envelope for the output transistors, or conversely if the impedance goes very low than the current requirement exceeds the power supply and output devices ability to supply the required current and voltage to the load and something goes POP, maybe its a tweeter, maybe an output transistor, or you blow an amplifier fuse...Having that extra headroom over and above any conceivable listening level you would ever use is a cheap way to protect the equipment. I remember replacing a lot of tweeters when I was using low powered amps at or near clipping.