Recommended Power Amp watts vs Speaker Watt power handling ability


What would happen if I connected a pair of 8 Ohm speakers with recommended 100 - 200 watts (Monitor Audio Gold 300) to a power amp of 250 watts per channel into 8 Ohms (Primare A32)? Is it safe? Would the speakers be blown?
mewsickbuff

The recommended power range is only a rough guide.  If, as others have mentioned, you play the speakers at reasonable levels, you should be fine.  If, as you push the volume upward, the speakers start to sound really harsh and hashy, cut the volume level; you are into the point where the speakers or the amp are distorting badly.

Even if the speaker manufacturer recommends 100-200 watts, it would certainly NOT be a good idea to play them at anywhere close to 100 watts of power delivered on a sustained basis; that would risk heat damage.  The recommendation is based largely on the momentary peak power.  Even when you are playing the speakers at a pretty high average volume level, the amp output would probably be averaging only one or two watts of output.

The other concern about high power amps is damage from accidental, large pops or noise, caused by such things as either pulling or plugging in an interconnect anywhere in the system when the amp is on, or sudden power cycling/surges when something happens to your electric service.  That kind of short term but powerful impulses can damage speakers if the amp is extremely powerful.

Given that you are not over driving your speakers, I would say that you are doing both speakers and amplifier a favor. Amp will last longer and speakers will be under best control. 
mewsickbuff,
you need to read this thread - same question asked by another member & lots of us contributed to the thread....

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/speaker-wattage-question
It's not ok to be underpowered, but great to be overpowered as long as you are not pushing the speakers to their limit... I used to power magnepan mmg, fuse bypassed, with a qsc 1400 at insane night club levels before distortion for 30min... no prob.