I don't think the Ref 3s necessarily require a lot of wattage as I am perfectly content with 50 watts. I do think that large scale classical music sometimes requires a lot of wattage. The Gallos sound great with 50 watts for the kind of music I listen to, and I'm sure they do well with low powered SET. In fact, I think these speakers make a particularly nice match to SET, and I wouldn't consider changing to anything else.
That said, I listen to large scale classical music infrequently. When I do listen to classical, I prefer listening through large, high-powered amplifiers. I prefer listening to nearly everything else through low powered SET.
In my opinion, a music system should be built around an individual's personal tastes. Very few, if any, systems do everything right for everyone (although the Ref 3s come as close as I've heard). A previous post had mentioned large scale classical music, and I was trying to talk specifically to that post. I wouldn't recommend the use of a low powered SET amp to primarily play large scale classical (with the exception of pairing it to an ultra-sensitive speaker like an Avantgarde), just as I wouldn't recommend a monster 250 watt solid state amp to listen primarly to jazz quartets. Just my opinion.
Hopefully, this clears up any confusion from my previous post.
Jeff
That said, I listen to large scale classical music infrequently. When I do listen to classical, I prefer listening through large, high-powered amplifiers. I prefer listening to nearly everything else through low powered SET.
In my opinion, a music system should be built around an individual's personal tastes. Very few, if any, systems do everything right for everyone (although the Ref 3s come as close as I've heard). A previous post had mentioned large scale classical music, and I was trying to talk specifically to that post. I wouldn't recommend the use of a low powered SET amp to primarily play large scale classical (with the exception of pairing it to an ultra-sensitive speaker like an Avantgarde), just as I wouldn't recommend a monster 250 watt solid state amp to listen primarly to jazz quartets. Just my opinion.
Hopefully, this clears up any confusion from my previous post.
Jeff
