Why do speakers improve with more powerful amps?


So, if I have a solid state amp that more than adequately powers a speaker, why do people recommend a larger more powerful amplifier to improve things?

Why do more powerful amplifiers impact speaker sound quality in a favorable way? Is it because more power is reaching the speakers? Mid and Tweeter drivers I was told receive a reduced signal versus bass drivers which receive relatively more power via crossovers.  All for the purpose of balancing a signal going to the various drivers.

 

 

jumia

+2 @akg_ca

Roger from Rogers High Fidelity had an interesting comment somewhere about amps operating in their "sweet spot" of sort of a median power delivery, and noted as an example that very powerful amps into efficient speakers don’t get the amp into its best tone zone. Not his exact words but I get it.

@wolf_garcia I get it as well. I recently upgraded my tube integrated to a much more powerful Rogers EHF-200 MKII to power my Harbeth’s - what an idiot I am for buying such inefficient speakers:)

I now have the luxury of virtually unlimited headroom (yes, that marketing term again) and it definitely hits its sweet spot - but that is no where near its max rated output.

It’s apparent when one reads threads like this that everyone has an opinion but only some have science and facts to actually backup their opinions.

That’s just the way it is but my only suggestion would be everyone is always best served by at least valuing the science and principles that account for how things actually work and doing the best they can to apply common learnings in their case as best they can. That’s the happy path to success. Anything otherwise is a detour at best and a dead end road in the worst case.

@hilde45 Great points!  I appreciate that.  Had not thought about that side of the topic.I'm pretty much a 'noob' with regards to the technical side of this.  Have learned a lot from this forum though over the last couple years.  I read a lot but don't post much.  Thanks!

My 150 watt Herron M2 monoblocks sound better than 300 watt Ampzilla 2000 2nd edition monoblocks or PS Audio 350 watt M700 monoblocks with medium efficiency speakers. 

My 25 watt Quicksilver Horn monoblocks however sound better than the Herron amps with my Klipsch Chorus speakers.

Watts aren't everything. 

What  my tiny little mind his learned from all this herein is that amplifiers are really really important to sound quality.

The comment above from @yxcbandit about more amperage improving control over drivers, if true, and I believe it probably is, is very insightful. With more powerful quality amps, it follows that drivers are better controlled.

I also believe that frequency response is vastly improved because of a more powerful amps ability to deliver a greater ability to achieve this.

Also with all the complexities of the crossovers going on behind the speaker drivers, and the inherent voltage balancing going on between all the drivers, the spread of power to all the various drivers is likely enhanced with improved power capabilities. Crossover design Controls more than just frequency range distribution and is a topic that is not well focused on or understoodon in my view. Individual drivers within a speaker don’t all receive the same level of voltage otherwise things would not be in balance. I think this may greatly influence how amplifiers as well as crossover design may impact speaker performance.