What is your experience with amp power?

Hello 2psyop!  This kind of question shows up often. It's a perfectly reasonable question. Do you have some piece of gear with sound level meters? It will be very helpful.  You will read somewhere that person A has "stepped up" from a 50 watt amp to a 70 watt amp. That change will not be audible unless the 50 watter was being pushed into distortion (being asked for 65 watts or so) and the 70 watter was distortion free at 65 watts. Watch the meters on some music you really enjoy. (No meters? Download the free version of Wave Pad and you'll have a visual indication of sound level. I'm guessing you have a computer.) Much "pop" music has a very steady level so it sounds good on car radios.)  Notice that an increase in level of 10 db does not sound like much of a difference. Yet a 10 db increase in level requires ten times the output power from an amp. A difference of 20 db is quite noticible. That calls for 100 times more power from an amp! So the little 300B Class A tube amp running thru very efficient (100db sensitivity) speakers is only putting out 0.25 watts when the 10 db rise comes along. It easily handles the 2.5 watt requirement and all is well. But, when the 20 db change comes along, and 25 watts is called for, the sound may get a bit harsh. Listener X has low efficiency speakers (80db sensitivity) and needs 100 times the power of listener A for the same level of sound in his room. So, his normal listening level is 25 watts. When the 20 db higher passage comes along, he needs 100x more power (2500 watts!)  to reproduce the sound without distortion. Sad but true. So "big" amps tend to sound better because they do not distort the peaks in the music. In reality, few speakers have sensitivities as low as 80 db (I'm on my thirds pair of "Maggies" and will soon order a fourth) and run 400 watt amps (class D) on each of the stereo sides. I don't hear harshness and I don't play all that loud (even when my wife is away) because I'm not trying to break a lease. I do have a 300b, class A amp amp (9 wpc) driving a pair of 110 db sensitivity speakers and I can play both systems at the same levels in the listening room without a problem. So it's all a matter of how sensitive your speakers are and how loud you want to play your music. Big amps are less likely to distort on peaks (or with LOUD music) and so, tend to sound "better," all other things being equal (which they never are.). Doubling amp power only gives you 3db loudness increase which is the smallest difference the untrained ear can detect. So. if you are "upgrading" a sub 50 watt amp, go to 200 - 400 watts at least if you really want to hear a difference. They are less likely to overload on loud passages. It really is that simple. I do hope this helps. Happy listening.

I have Maggie's and typically drive them with my VAC tube amp (KT88) 100 watts per side I also have two subs in my system  To me it sounds magical but at the same time, l felt something was missing When I use my other amp that puts out 500watts@8ohm 650@4ohms and 1,200 watts@1ohm plus 65 amps for 500 milliseconds the Maggie's really come alive with dynamics and inner detail  All the leading edge of the music just has much more energy even at lower levels  If I want I can bring my Maggie's to their knees  But typically I listen to music around 75 db with peaks in the low 80's  my listening position is eleven feet from my speakers It's obvious that not all speakers require lots of watts/current but l would have to say my Maggie's sure love the watts/current 

Also clear as mud given the variables. W/ my speakers more zap (duel mono and very clean) added better sonic yield that's fantabulousahhhh   

Amps are like cars and there’s no substation for horse power. More horse power. More horse power = most males even the "sensible" ones

@bigkidz Wrote:

And higher power sounds better at low volume and high volume is another false statement.

I agree!

Mike