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Why do you need so much power?

I have a basic question.  I have a set of Tannoys with 93dB sensitivity. I’m told that a 25 Wpc amp like the First Watt J2 can power it just fine. (I don’t crank it to 11.). Someone also suggested an Emotiva amp with 500W RMS. 

So my question. Assuming you have a good set of speakers that are efficient (>90) and you don’t crank it till it’s clipping, then do you ever need such power as the Emotiva?  Thanks!
ssmaudio

Showing 2 responses by ssmaudio

ssmaudio OP
71 posts
 
Thanks everyone. Since my room is of moderate size and I listen maybe 2m away, the 25w J2 is more than enough. To me, clarity, transparency and imaging is more important than volume. 
ssmaudio OP
71 posts
 
@mulveling, thanks for the response.  I listen almost exclusively to classical, opera and jazz; not so much orchestral recordings (so a lot of piano, violin, vocals).  What's most important to me is clarity, detail, transparency and imaging. 

The reason I'm partial to the First Watt is that those amps are designed to be musical--an ethereal and subjective characteristic but nonetheless, important.  I'm a violinist, so I value a system that communicates what the musician intended.

Let's see.  I'll try out the J2s and see what happens.  
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