Wavetrader - that's good!
Clio09 - more headroom is always better if you can afford it. If you have let say $1k to buy an amp would you be better with mediocre 1kW amp or great 100W amp. 1kW amp should be twice louder but not always. Amps are rated for nominal power and 100W amp might have very large peak power being designed by good conservative company. 1kW amp that cost the same as 100W one will have most likely worse parts since power supply, case and heatsinks have to be 10x larger and something has to make-up for their cost.
Much worse if you choose SS amp over tube amp that you like only because of 200W over 100W (and 200W tube is too expensive). Another example might be selling 50W class A amp to get 100W class AB amp etc. There is a very little difference in sound level between 100W and 200W.
Clio09 - more headroom is always better if you can afford it. If you have let say $1k to buy an amp would you be better with mediocre 1kW amp or great 100W amp. 1kW amp should be twice louder but not always. Amps are rated for nominal power and 100W amp might have very large peak power being designed by good conservative company. 1kW amp that cost the same as 100W one will have most likely worse parts since power supply, case and heatsinks have to be 10x larger and something has to make-up for their cost.
Much worse if you choose SS amp over tube amp that you like only because of 200W over 100W (and 200W tube is too expensive). Another example might be selling 50W class A amp to get 100W class AB amp etc. There is a very little difference in sound level between 100W and 200W.