More power "better"


I am currently running a pair of Proac Response 1.5's with Classe 5 pre/70 power. They seem to play well and sound good, but I was told that more power would "open them up" and provide more control. I am also wondering at how much power is reasonable and not wasted. I would like to find some older Classe amps with more output but I am also wondering if an amplifier running "pure"class A would sound more powerfull. For example Krell KSA50s as compared to my Classe 70. Tubes also come to mind, but I think that new solid state is damn close if not better(certainly more reliable).If I were to go tube, I'd probably look at VTL MB125's (can't afford the big stuff). Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated esp. by those who currently own Proac.
alun

Showing 2 responses by piezo

This comment plays off of the comment from swd above.. Coming at this from a different perspective the outcome is the same. more is better I am a part time working musician as well as an audio enthusiast. For my stage rig i have a hand built 45 w class A tube amp driven by 4 el84s that will rip your head off at a stage volume of 3 (louder than the soundman lets me get away with in a 150 seat room) I always am thinking that a smaller amp that could be turned up to get tube saturation without all the volume would be great. Well i recently heard a band using just that type of set up and man what anemic sound...and that was with the soundman doubling up channels and processing like hell to get some body inot the guitars. Long story short: you need an amp with sufficient headroom to cope with the dynamics of the music or there will be no life in the music. My stage sound has a much bigger and better tone than the little amps because, even though the preamp and input signal is rolled back the power section has all the breathing room it needs. I recently moved my home stereo to a house with out dedicated power lines and it simply runs out of gas, the amps can't make the power they are supposed to (185 w per side)...no power no dynamics...no life...no good
Hi Steve, thanks for the detailed jnfo on the variac and other approaches to getting good stage tone. Eddie Van Halen has used the variac trick for years but i never thought of using it as you suggested to keep the voltage where it needs to be for the home rig. I'm going to run a dedicated line first and see if that does the trick but the effect the furnace (or my stereo) has on the lights in the rest of the house tells me i may need to resort to more drastic measures. I have used the pull a pair of tubes approach to taming amps like a fender twin (class AB) but does that work in a class A tube amp?. I currently have a Dr. Z prescription that runs 4 el 84 in class A and has two of the biggest transformers i have ever had to lug around. Talk about midrange spank. As to the mega system I've played a small size auditorium that was kind of fun but i always wanted to do a gig through a monster system like you describe. I saw Kiss's farewell tour (it was free and i had to do it for old times sake) and I both my brother and I swear that stanley was not going through the mains...the stage volume from about 12 full marshall stacks was carrying auditorium (actually it was about killing me). Imagine being onstage in front of that much power, thanks again, JOhn Hartley