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Speakers Nominal Power handling/Amplifier

My Canton k9  bookshelf speakers have a nominal power handling of 120/200 watts,  SPL of 87db my Technic integrated amp SU-G700 has 70 watts into 8 ohms,140 into 4 ohms.  As an aside, my source is a Marantzcd6006  CD player.
What does Nominal power mean for me in terms of music reproduction in my system? Specifically Will the speakers perform to there potential with my 70 watt amp? I read that nominal power relates to the power your amp should have to drive these speakers. So what am I missing with only 70 watts per channel besides playing louder? what would an amp with 120 to 200 watts give  the speakers that would improve the music? Am I placing my speakers at risk using less power then what the speakers can handle?
I'm a rookie with zip, zero, nada, listening experience to fall back on that is at all relevant so take this with a grain of salt I freakin love the sound detailed(decay of strings and brushes on symbols, fingers plucking guitar strings etc) soundstage( speakers vanish instruments are here there everywhere but not outside of speaker footprint and not real deep front to back )imaging ( instruments have there own place voices are in the center) not harsh or bright but detailed not warm sounding. How much better could it get with a more powerful amp? I can only imagine what a high-end system must sound like!
An observation no audio stores are within 50 miles, unless I count BestBuy so I sadly I must rely on reviews for the most part and what I read here. Regards Scott
scott22

Showing 5 responses by lowrider57

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,396 posts
 
LFE is for use with a multichannel receiver. You would use a RCA cable from preamp out to RCA LEFT, RIGHT IN on the sub. 
If no high pass filter on sub, only low frequencies will be used from the preamp. 

Check the sub for high Pass, low pass settings.
lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,396 posts
 
with occasional spikes to 0db/100%

You’re correct to monitor these spikes in power output. But the fact is that peaks and transients in music are probably going higher than the meters can indicate. Even with a sub you may not be able to push this amp. If the amp is a keeper, then a sub or a sub array is the way to go.


lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,396 posts
 
I see that your amp has line out and one preamp output. Using an active powered sub (or two) relieves the amp from using all it's current to power the bass. The subs have internal amps that supplement the main amp.

lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,396 posts
 
Preamp out to subwoofer. HPF and LPF would depend on the individual subwoofer, no?

Adding subwoofers is a work-a-round for the OP since he is married to this amp and speakers. 


lowrider57's avatar
lowrider57
5,396 posts
 
Nominal power is a range provided by the manufacturer
of the average power needed to drive the speaker. I think of it more like a suggestion because sensitivity and impedance of the speaker are the most important specs.

I agree 87dB is a hard to drive load for your amp. I read in a review of the speakers that impedance stays between 4 and 8 ohms across the frequency spectrum. This also is telling that more power will be beneficial. The 4 ohm low impedance and low sensitivity would be better served with a higher power amp; low impedance requires more power, especially in the bass frequencies. As stated above, doubling the amp power would only give you 3dB more gain. So if you like these speakers I would look for a SS amp higher than 140wpc. More power drives the bass with more authority and music will sound fuller, and will reveal more from your components.

The risk you asked about is when using an underpowered amp at a high volume it can cause the amp to clip which produces distortion and possible damage to the drivers in the speakers.


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