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SS amps. Why so much power?

I though that there was so much tube amp talk on this page lately, I'd put up a SS thread. Why do so many people buy the big SS amps that have 200,300,500 watts of power? Is it because the speaker you want is inefficient and you need lots of power, or do you need to play real loud? Or is it a status thing, like my amp's bigger than your amp, or what? Do you buy a big amp first, and then look for a speaker with high power handling? Or do you pick a low efficiency speaker you like and then look for a big amp to drive it? Do you subscribe to the idea that if you have alot of watts, the amp will sound better at lower volumes? I've noticed that the majority of AudiogoNers go with high power SS amps and low efficiency speakers. What gives?
twl

Showing 1 response by jdwek

jdwek
84 posts
 
Sean Nice post and very polite.
I will make a useful analogy.
If I am in shape and I bicycle 50 miles on a sunday it is an enjoyable exercise.....I sweat but I am in my groove and moving well. When I am not in such good shape that sam trip is not enjoyable at all. I might even wobble on the road as I huff and puff up hill and then are forced to coast downhill. (I live in san diego and I do alot of cycling.)Power amplifiers are very similar. To be able to appropriately recreate a human singing voice belting out an aria from traviata or tracy chapman it takes alot of power, alot of reserve and alot of headroom. The less powerful amp will do it but less beautifully.
jd
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