1-1/2 Watts?

Much of the time I use an Elekit TU-8900 (with Lundahls etc.) RCA Black Plate 2A3s and Brimar input stages.

Speakers are 87dB Rockport Atria IIs - that amp does what I need, beautifully - except if I am going to have an extended Mahler session when I step up to an XA25 - which is 50wpc into 4 ohms.

2.83 v (2 watts) at the speaker gives me 83dB in my listening position.

I am in the process of building a 300B SE circuit, with two 300Bs per side - in a configuration that I think can be called series. Each output tube uses 1/2 of the primary so its like a PP but each half is in the same phase.  The OPT is gapped for 80ma.  The hope is that I get the SE magic with a bit more power - the current is limited to 80 ma so the primary inductance of the OPT can be kept high for bass response.  Running parallel at160 ma would require a bigger air gap in the OPT - losing bass response.

I am hoping this will allow the big stuff to sing but keep the low power SE sound.

@pafdenver , Tube output compared to SS output is apples to oranges. It’s a whole different world. I grew up with Dynaco my first being the SCA-35 integrated. It drove by JBL-L16’s just fine. But back to the thread , I too have a Had Inspire that was stated to produce 12 wpc per Dennis. What I found with that little amp was by dropping the voltage using a lower value rectifier tube even with KT-120 and KT-150 power tubes it produced less wattage but had huge bass dynamics. My favorite was using vintage GEC KT-66 , a Tekefunken driver tube and the lowest power nos rectifier tube I had. I’m guessing that it is about 6-7 wpc. The sound is sublime and it was still fairly powerful. To the OP at 1 1/2 watts with the more exotic power tubes mentioned it is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING how good a couple watts sound. When I was a small child my grandfather had a low power tube system with 15” EV coaxial drivers in exotic mahogany cabinets. He’d play the old standards like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin ect. Then he’d put on something like Spanish Eyes and the room was filled with sound and emotion. I guess you just have to experience it to understand. For me it’s something that SS never could do. Thanks for triggering some pleasant memories. Respectfully, Mike B. 

I run 99 db/w speakers with 4 watts of pushpull 349 tube power.  This is plenty for my usage.

@buellrider97 I'll agree that SS circuitry is completely different than tube circuitry, but a Watt is a Watt is a Watt.  If whatever circuit you have drives 1A at 1V it's producing a watt.  And the sounds they produce are different because the circuits are different and the interactions with the rest of the components are therefore different.  But it's still the same amount of power.

As I read this thread it's discussing how powerful of an amp do you really need to drive speakers.  My experience is that most of my listening (done at comfortable levels mainly acoustic material) doesn't require a hugely powerful amp.  I'm listening to Springsteen's Nebraska right now and the output meter barely goes above 1/10th of a Watt.  I don't think the type of circuitry affects this. 

@pafdenver , hi sorry to come across critical, not my intent. But my thought on the backside was based on gear I used to have. My thought was I had 50 wpc tube monos Vs 50 wpc SS gear , it SEEMED to me that with equal ratings the tube gear SEEMED more powerful. I also confess that I have no idea how accurate meters on amps are. Back in my days of old we used oscilloscopes and signal generators to measure stuff. Then you throw in modern high current amps and I am totally ignorant. Anyway no offense intended. One random question , do you think that unused SS power gives more authority to the 1 or 2 watts that are being used? BTW I’ll be in Wheat Ridge next month, nice area. Regards , Mike B.