Power/Current: How much is realistic?


Rebuilding my system, Just got a pair Martin Logan 13A, B212. Just looking for insight on how much power/ current
would be enough without going overboard and throwing $$ away. I know i am only driving the panels. Had a Krell fpb-300, 400cx, 350mcx driving M/L Oddessy Descent i. Should i go up to 600watt?  Looking for that last amp without spending a fortune on something i do not need. Thanks, Mike
fruitloopsr
Thanks Ralph (@Atmasphere). As you saw I factored in a loss of 3 db per doubling of distance, rather than the 6 db loss per doubling of distance that would apply to box-type speakers acting essentially as point sources. But even so, per your comments I was probably being overly pessimistic in my SPL estimates.

So the 109, 106, and 103 db SPL numbers I calculated for powers of 600, 300, and 150 watts, at a 3 meter listening distance, should be even higher!

Thanks again. Best,
-- Al
I own a Sanders designed innersound electrostatic Amplifier.  It is an older version of his current amplifier, though not as capable as his current Magtech. I have used it to drive quad ESL 63 speakers and it is a wonderful, very capable amplifier. I believe it would be very capable of driving your Martin Logan electrostatic speakers. It can completely dump the current into a challenging load in an electrostatic loudspeaker.
Was considering Pass x600.8 or x260.8 Would i ever use that power with these panels. Would there be a difference in sound or just a waste of power.
Thanks
I was always under the impression that it’s not really possible to overdrive speakers that require high current to drive like the Martin Logan’s or Dynaudio’s - at least that’s what I have been told over the years.
While you probably would not use the excess power, I was of the understanding that it imparts a greater ease to the sound because of the high reserves available. Perhaps @atmasphere can correct that if untrue.
I was a Krell user up to the FPB cx era and am now a Pass Labs X 0.8 user. The sound is pretty different so if you really like the bass slam that Krell gives you you won’t find it with the Pass Labs. You probably won’t even find it with current D’Agostino’s.