2. amps-preamps
  3. 168468-111061

More watts or better power ?

Hello, I am currently running a PS Audio BHK Preamp, which has a tube input stage, to a Pass Labs XA25, Class A (50watts at 4 ohms) power Amp, into a pair of Sonus Faber Minima Amator II bookshelf speakers. My system sounds very good, and at 4ohms, I have 50 watts of power to my speakers, which is on the lower end of their rating.

What would be a better investment (most bang for the buck) into the system? Replace the XA25 with a higher watt amp (PS Audio BHK 250?), or spend the same money on a power conditioner (PS Audio Power Plant II?) Or upgrade the Minima Amator (which are sounding very good) to another set of speakers.

The system is in my bedroom, I have a very small house, hence the smaller Sonus Faber Speakers. I have beenplaying around with an SVS micro sub as well.

Other system parts, Clear Audio Concept/ Concept MC, Pass Labs XP15, Little Green Roon Server, Schitt Yiggi, and a Luxman MQ 88 Tube amp in rotation.

Appreciate your input
Mark O





128x128marktheshark
verdantaudio's avatar
verdantaudio
1,469 posts
 
Do you feel that the sound from the speakers is thin?  Especially at moderate volume?  If your sound is lacking weight, then an amp upgrade would make sense.  But this sill be very obvious.  

Those are very good speakers.  You can change them but you risk upsetting the dynamics of the system and creating a cascade of issues.  

It sounds like you don't have any line conditioning in place and that is probably something worth looking at.  Furman makes nice products.  I think for the money, Puritan might be the best on the market.  A PSM 136 is not crazy expensive ($1600) and will do a lot to improve sound and comes with a pretty good power cord.  

Are you using the stock tubes in the BHK or have your rolled in NOS tubes?  That will have a shockingly large impact and be at most ~$250.  

Those would be the places I would start.  


johnto
980 posts
 
Unless you hear some problems I would keep what I have. Pass is hard to beat. I think in some of his writing  Nelson talks against power conditioning for his amps.
marktheshark's avatar
marktheshark OP
55 posts
 
Erik, I do like my speakers, and finding a better set, in a smaller size, may be too much effort. I do have good bass and treble, with the speakers alone, I am playing with a sub, just for fun. 

Verdant, no, the speakers actually have good balance. I do not have any power protection or conditioning,  I'll take a look at Furman. I did roll the tubes on the BHK Pre last year, and it did make a nice improvement. 

John, I'll have to research Nelson Pass on power conditioners. I wonder why he would object? 

Thanks guys, per my OP, my system sounds very good. I was just wondering if upgrades would make a meaningful impact. At my level of mid-fi, it really starts becoming a matter of diminishing returns on investment. I think I'll look at some surge protection and conditioning and maybe put my money into a new phono cart for the Concept :) 
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,360 posts
 
Well, I’m going to have to say that a 25 watt power amp is holding you back. I have a pair of 25 watt mono block tube amps that sound very nice but they each have huge power supplies and giant capacitors. 25 watts of SS power is not that much. A beefy amp would add some weight and fullness to your system. After that the next step is loudspeakers but you’ll have the power drive anything once you upgrade your power amp.

Sonus says minimum power for your loudspeaker is 35-100 watts. That is typically the 8ohm specification so you are below the recommended spec. 
ghdprentice
6,500 posts
 
Normally I think more power more better. But that is a sweet and outstanding amp. Given your system and location, I would try power conditioning to all but the amp. 
More to discover