I actually don’t think it would be dumb at all to hit 100w across all channels.. We all know the LCR do require a large percentage of activity in multichanel movies. But there are times in some movies where surrounds and even atmos his these levels. There are also 2 other consideration...
1-Often times, in larger rooms the surrounds/atmos speakers could be pretty far away. This distance requires more power.
2-Often times people will use smaller, less efficient speakers than their mains. Many bookshelf/surround/ceiling speakers can be 3 to 5 dB’s less sensitive than the main speakers. As a result they require more power.
As a result I would not want 60w of power in surround/atmos channels.
Plus, in 2022, manufacturers shouldn’t even be using class a/b IMO. Class D would be ideal for receivers... measure fine, enough power, less heat, and lighter.
I have had the best avr measured to date which was the denon 8500h and now I have an arcam avr20 that is surely one of the worst measured, but I prefer the sound of the arcam to that of the denon.
The only thing that is less than denon is the power
extra that I had and have 13 channels in a single box..with the arcam I have had to invest in external stages which I hate to do.
Why be always thinking of the sinad to think that an avr will sound better or worse?
I've had a 3700 denon
in my hands and still not sounding bad it has nothing to do with my 8500h ... The 8500h when sinad has given the best is using it as a previous one, if it is used as a single box its sinad does not differ much from any other avr of its brand ... who would spend 3k
with 13 channels to not use any channel?
The sinad is one more value, and hopefully in 2023 they will manufacture 10x200w avr for which we have more demanding boxes.
We are guided a lot by the power but an avr that of 100w and another that of 140w for
channel, the final spl of those 40w with the same boxes in your listening point is not even 1db more .... why fight for 30 / 40w that we would not notice?