Hi redstarwraith,
From what I understand, it’s not the watts per channel that matter, it’s the ability of the amp to deliver enough current to the speakers so they are driven properly. The design of the power supply is extremely important (among other design aspects) and determines the ability of that amp to drive a more difficult load.
A great example of this would be the Pass Labs line of amps. They are all so well designed, from front to back, and are best known for their ability to drive just about any speaker on the planet. The main reason for this their power supplies. The power supplies are so well designed and so well built that they never have trouble driving a difficult load. Not only can they drive a difficult load but they always remain musical while doing so. Remember, we are talking about Nelson Pass who has been designing power amps for over 40 years.
Here is a great example of what I’m talking about.
I have a Pass Labs XA30.8 amp. For those of you who may not be familiar with this amp it’s their 30 watt per channel class A stereo amp. That amp weighs 88 lbs which is probably mostly power supply. Now most people would just laugh when you mention 30 watts per channel. I also had a pair of Magnepan 3.7i’s with two of their DWM woofers wired in parallel. Now most people will tell you that a 30 watt per channel amp will not work with the Maggies and especially with that setup. The 37.i’s with two DWM woofers wired in parallel presents a constant 2 ohm load to the amplifier! 2 ohms. That load would destroy most amps and they would just simply shut off. That little amp not only drove that load but did so effortlessly for 3 years. Not only did it drive that brutal load but, and this is the most important thing to remember, the musicality was off the charts!!! If an amp can drive a difficult load but sounds like crap doing so, it’s worthless. That amp not only drove that load but sounded fantastic as well. That’s how well designed those power supplies are.
So redstarwraith, the watts per channel, especially on paper (specs) tells you nothing. Always trust your ears. If you can find a high end audio store (remember those) in your area they will usually let you take a piece home so you can listen to it in your system. There is no substitution for auditioning a piece of gear in your own system. If you like it and can afford it, buy it. If a reviewer says it’s the best amp in the world and you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Trust your ears. A local dealer who knows what they sell and can advise you as to what they think you will like and can be trusted can be invaluable. Home auditions are the way to go. Nothing beats hearing it in your own system and hopefully for as long as the dealer will allow (within reason).
The internet, as convenient as it is, has been instrumental (in my opinion) in reducing the number of brick and mortar retail stores. If a brand you are interested in has no dealers in your area, a lot of manufacturers will sell directly. Read their return policy carefully. An great example is Liner Tube Audio. They have one of the best return policies I have ever seen. First, and this is very rare, they break in All their equipment before they ship it. They give you 14 days and they will even pay the return shipping (in the USA) if you don’t like it. What more can you ask for. That, to me, speaks volumes in their confidence of the sound quality in the products they offer. Here is an example a of a ridiculous return policy. The do not fully break in what they sell, they give you 3 days, and you have to pay the return shipping (which is understandable), but because they are built in Australia the shipping charge from the USA to Australia is $200.00 and here’s the kicker, you have to wait for them to resell it before they send you your money! You could be waiting months before you get your money back. At least they tell you all this up front. Now, compare that with Linear Tube Audio’s return policy, who would you be more inclined to buy from?
Scot
From what I understand, it’s not the watts per channel that matter, it’s the ability of the amp to deliver enough current to the speakers so they are driven properly. The design of the power supply is extremely important (among other design aspects) and determines the ability of that amp to drive a more difficult load.
A great example of this would be the Pass Labs line of amps. They are all so well designed, from front to back, and are best known for their ability to drive just about any speaker on the planet. The main reason for this their power supplies. The power supplies are so well designed and so well built that they never have trouble driving a difficult load. Not only can they drive a difficult load but they always remain musical while doing so. Remember, we are talking about Nelson Pass who has been designing power amps for over 40 years.
Here is a great example of what I’m talking about.
I have a Pass Labs XA30.8 amp. For those of you who may not be familiar with this amp it’s their 30 watt per channel class A stereo amp. That amp weighs 88 lbs which is probably mostly power supply. Now most people would just laugh when you mention 30 watts per channel. I also had a pair of Magnepan 3.7i’s with two of their DWM woofers wired in parallel. Now most people will tell you that a 30 watt per channel amp will not work with the Maggies and especially with that setup. The 37.i’s with two DWM woofers wired in parallel presents a constant 2 ohm load to the amplifier! 2 ohms. That load would destroy most amps and they would just simply shut off. That little amp not only drove that load but did so effortlessly for 3 years. Not only did it drive that brutal load but, and this is the most important thing to remember, the musicality was off the charts!!! If an amp can drive a difficult load but sounds like crap doing so, it’s worthless. That amp not only drove that load but sounded fantastic as well. That’s how well designed those power supplies are.
So redstarwraith, the watts per channel, especially on paper (specs) tells you nothing. Always trust your ears. If you can find a high end audio store (remember those) in your area they will usually let you take a piece home so you can listen to it in your system. There is no substitution for auditioning a piece of gear in your own system. If you like it and can afford it, buy it. If a reviewer says it’s the best amp in the world and you don’t like it, don’t buy it. Trust your ears. A local dealer who knows what they sell and can advise you as to what they think you will like and can be trusted can be invaluable. Home auditions are the way to go. Nothing beats hearing it in your own system and hopefully for as long as the dealer will allow (within reason).
The internet, as convenient as it is, has been instrumental (in my opinion) in reducing the number of brick and mortar retail stores. If a brand you are interested in has no dealers in your area, a lot of manufacturers will sell directly. Read their return policy carefully. An great example is Liner Tube Audio. They have one of the best return policies I have ever seen. First, and this is very rare, they break in All their equipment before they ship it. They give you 14 days and they will even pay the return shipping (in the USA) if you don’t like it. What more can you ask for. That, to me, speaks volumes in their confidence of the sound quality in the products they offer. Here is an example a of a ridiculous return policy. The do not fully break in what they sell, they give you 3 days, and you have to pay the return shipping (which is understandable), but because they are built in Australia the shipping charge from the USA to Australia is $200.00 and here’s the kicker, you have to wait for them to resell it before they send you your money! You could be waiting months before you get your money back. At least they tell you all this up front. Now, compare that with Linear Tube Audio’s return policy, who would you be more inclined to buy from?
Scot