How many watts do you really need?

Even if an amp is ONLY in Class A up to 40 wpc, that is so much power for ANY speaker that it will be playing at such a high volume level there is no way anyone can hear the subtle difference between Class A and Class AB operation; your own ears will be employing muscles to restrict motion of moving parts to protect the ears.

I personally favor amps that prioritize operation at less than one watt.  My 5 wpc amp has plenty of reserve for my purposes.

It’s easy to get hung up on watts when perhaps the conversation should be more focused on current capacity vs. time. This is where two "100W" amplifiers can differ significantly, and this differences translates directly into performance disparities that are plainly audible. One might take note of the relatively large, high current power supplies used in more expensive amplifiers. 

@faustuss  VERY SUBJECTIVE, 5 watts is all YOU! will ever need. Also make sure you know what HEADROOM means in AUDIOPHILE Speech or when describing how much headroom someone actually needs in their system. Remember not everyone like or use efficient speakers in their system.

And again, not everyone uses speckers like KLIPSCH, and most care not to. Surely not when it comes to ultra-high end system setups. But you will find them in a basic or average layman’s Audiophile system. Not everyone listens to or even care to have a tube amplifier setup that only actually needs 2 to 3 watts, but you suggest 5 watts, and with that you are not looking for headroom in amplifier wattage. Once Again, it is all very ((( SUBJECTIVE ))).  Some of us just listen with headphones > To each his own.

Good day and Peace to All

@blackbird55 I didn’t suggest 5 watts faustuss did.  But I get what he’s saying as well as you.  My amp is 330 wpc hybrid tube amp. Happy listening 

@polkalover My mistake, I corrected that and redirected it to the sender. By all means surely, he is right when it comes to his purpose and others, who are not looking for headroom in their system amplification. I have 4 systems starting from Class A Vacuum Tube 22 watts/ Class A solid state 150 watts/ Solid state AB 250 watts/ AB Monoblock 500x500 watts per side. I love my Vacuum Tube amplifiers, but when I listen my large rooms, I need HEADROOM for my speakers. So, I do understand his post, but I also know we are not all in one BOX, and fore sure we all are in different rooms, and no two rooms are the same. So, in that it all becomes very SUBJECTIVE when talking about wattage and HEADROOM.

Good day and Peace to All