pass labs xa30 to valve amplifier.

The discussion about how loud it plays is one issue but the larger question is how it plays in the low to normal volume levels. That is where we live with the sound for the most part and different matches between amps and loudspeakers produce different results.

Pettyfeversk, your experience is with a multi-driver speaker and perhaps a 10" or more woofer? I'm thinking there is something about multi-driver speakers that makes a difference in the simple sensitivity/watts equation we normally make - seems that for some reason you do need more power and current than driving a 2-way with 7" "woofer" - even when the speakers have the same rated sensitivity. Anyone know if that is true? That just my experience, so I don't know if it is technically valid. My Merlins which are 89db played as loud as I could possibly stand and sounded wonder at lower volume with the 30 watts provided by the XA30.5. Also had the Music Reference RM9 SE (162 watts) for comparison - the Pass did not seem underpowered.

Pubul57,

"I'm thinking there is something about multi-driver speakers that makes a difference in the simple sensitivity/watts equation we normally make"

I've heard/read that complex x/o's eat up power. That and the fact that you have the spectrum of music coming out of poly?/woofers, kevlar?/mids, titanium?/woofers at the same time makes me wonder how I was able to enjoy music out of "those" types in the past. The answer is, my ears didn't know any better.

These days, besides my Maggie 3.6's, I like a good 2 way with a x/o around 2.5K or higher. Trick is getting a mid/woofer to play nice up to and thru that point. I favor soft dome or ribbon tweeters also. Add to that an impedance (nice if it's 8 ohms) that doesn't vary much (say 20%) and it becomes a recipe for pleasure for me.

Pubul57, as best I can make out, Bobby is pretty conservative with that 89db rating on the Merlins.

Multi-way speakers with complex crossovers DO eat up power. The phase angle and impedance both need to be factored in when choosing an amp....at least on paper.
Big impedance swings with a hi phase angle at some low dip in impedance is a recipe for 'Don't Buy Tubes'.....

That's why, IMO, the 'conventional wisdom' of Maggies being a bad load is a bunch of hooie. They mainly resistive or moderate phase angle nature of most of 'em make it a reasonable load for amps which can be happy with the lowish impedance and sensitivity.