-
WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!
Does A More Powerful Amplifier Make Speakers Sound Better?
- Thread starter atsmusic
- Start date
It's also your post as well as the title.....did you leave something out like maybe the specifics for consideration/comment?
Clipping is very audible. But it also depends on how much clipping you have.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
Start with 200W@8R per channel of clean power into normal efficiency speakers and you will rarely wish for more. When you do want more, jump up to circa 4-500W per channel.
Like @Tom Danley said. Headroom is your friend. Ok, the talk was about speakers. But imo its always your friend.
My answer is YES!! But to a certain extend. It largely depends on what speakers you are using and what volume you are playing.
200W?? You sure?? Because 200W is actually alot of power and is very costly as well. Most of the mainstream amps don't even hit 100W.
DSJR
Major Contributor
I'd say yes too, especially if that amp is good into low impedance loads as well and with plenty of further headroom, basically making it all but immune from what it's driving. 200WPC is the starting point 
Depends on music you listen to. If it is a classical music with low average level and high peaks, you need high power to prevent clipping. So in this case yes. If you have sometimes noisy group of friends invited and you want to dance, you will need high power even with pop music.
I agree, about 200W power for average speakers with 85-88 dB/W/m sensitivity for home use.
Yes, depending on music and situation as I mentioned above.
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
These days, 200wpc of genuine low distortion power is not expensive. Back when I was moving into higher up the range, high performance HiFi power amplifiers, 200wpc units ranged from around $1500 up to $3000. (Australian dollars).
Now, thirty years later, you can get the same power for the same or less dollar figures. And that is with 3 decades of inflation! Incredible really what you can get for so little money. Move to Class D and the value for money gets even better.
But let's be serious. Entry level amplifiers were around 30wpc in 1980, with similar speaker efficiencies as to what we have today. Top integrated amplifiers were 100-120wpc and power amplifiers started at 150wpc and went up to well over 300wpc.
Get a minimum in 2021 of 200wpc (genuine measured power @8R /~350W@4R) and be happy for a long time.
Depends on the levels you're listening at primarily. How far away you are from the speakers comes into play. The particular dynamics of your speakers come into play. So maybe. Depends.
DanielT
Major Contributor
Although the interesting thing is still dynamic power, right? The ability to cope with transistence peaks. crest factor.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crest_factor
Take for example this little vintage NAD receiver:
NAD 7240PE
Power output: 40 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/7240pe.shtml
How well does it handle peaks? It is designed to handle it in a sensible way, but check what it can do in dynamic power in 2 Ohm ( to use 2 ohm speakers for a long time I would not do that with a NAD 7240PE).
So how many watts are needed and when?
Then for the sound quality as usual other factors to consider Signal to noise ratio, distortion, damping factor (low such can be reflected in distortion and ,even uneven frequency response .... I think)
As others have mentioned. What kind of music you play. Modern compressed, a thick even carpet of tones then not many watts are needed. It does not place any major demands on the amplifier. That in itself is good, for the amplifiers. Not so fun for our ears.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crest_factor
Take for example this little vintage NAD receiver:
NAD 7240PE
Power output: 40 watts per channel into 8Ω (stereo)
https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/7240pe.shtml
How well does it handle peaks? It is designed to handle it in a sensible way, but check what it can do in dynamic power in 2 Ohm ( to use 2 ohm speakers for a long time I would not do that with a NAD 7240PE).
So how many watts are needed and when?
Then for the sound quality as usual other factors to consider Signal to noise ratio, distortion, damping factor (low such can be reflected in distortion and ,even uneven frequency response .... I think)
As others have mentioned. What kind of music you play. Modern compressed, a thick even carpet of tones then not many watts are needed. It does not place any major demands on the amplifier. That in itself is good, for the amplifiers. Not so fun for our ears.
Attachments
Last edited:
restorer-john
Grand Contributor
The attached amplifier "dyno" results are for a 12V (car amplifier) not a NAD 7240PE which last time I checked, runs on mains voltages...
DanielT
Major Contributor
Ooops, talk about anticlimax. Sorry about that.
Attached image NAD's own data on dynamic effect. Not too bad, though. If they are right now, that is.
Although the interesting thing for this thread is not the NAD receiver but this with dynamic effect in general.
I just used that NAD reviver as an example.
Attachments
Last edited:
racePigeon
Member
Right. Tell that to a person that lives in an apartment...
Similar threads
