Power: Good or Bad


Assuming an amp has "enough" power to drive a speaker to satisfying peaks (115db?) do you find that lower-powered amps sound better than their higher power counterparts? That is, do lower power circuits inherently sound better than higher powered ones. I think Sam Tellif for one has made this claim in print. I assume that lower power amplifiers are simpler in design than higher powered, more complex designs with more tubes (or transistors), less wiring, etc. Or, do you feel that whatever price is paid for the additional complexity required to produce more power is a worthwhile trade off in terms of dynamics and "drive". I'm not necessarily thinking 4 watt SETs with super efficient horns, but maybe 30 watts driving 90db loads for example.
pubul57

Showing 1 response by cdc

I second the synergy thing. A gainclone amp is about as simple as you can get. But the sound has been described as grainy, harsh in the H-F, and lacking drive. Sometimes the simplest is too simple. IMHO they are a great match with single driver speakers which show their strengths in spades.