BUCHARDT S400

[BobCat666]

Hi.
I am interested in purchasing the Buchardt S-400 but I am not sure my amp would be compatible and would be thankful for your advice.
My amp is a Yamaha s-301 with the following power spec:
Would this work in your opinion?

Thank you very much.


A-S301 Specifications Minimum RMS Output Power (8 ohms, 20 Hz-20 kHz) 60 W + 60 W (0.019% THD)Maximum Power (4 ohms, 1kHz, 0.7% THD, for Europe) 95 W + 95 WHigh Dynamic Power/Channel (8/6/4/2 ohms) 100/120/140/150 W

 

[Daverz]

Since your amp gives a 4 Ohm spec and even a 2 Ohm spec, I think it should do fine, as long as you are not expecting to produce head-banging volumes in a huge room. Using a voltmeter, I calculated the peak power needed with the S400s in my living room at my "serious listening" volume to be about 100W (into 4 Ohm). If "Dynamic Power" means peak, then I think your amp can do a little better than that.

 

[BobCat666]

Since your amp gives a 4 Ohm spec and even a 2 Ohm spec, I think it should do fine, as long as you are not expecting to produce head-banging volumes in a huge room. Using a voltmeter, I calculated the peak power needed with the S400s in my living room at my "serious listening" volume to be about 100W (into 4 Ohm). If "Dynamic Power" means peak, then I think your amp can do a little better than that.

Hi Daverz
Thank you so much for your great answer!

 

[Chromatischism]

Using a voltmeter, I calculated the peak power needed with the S400s in my living room at my "serious listening" volume to be about 100W (into 4 Ohm).

Nice, at what level do you consider "serious listening"?

 

[BobCat666]

Nice, at what level do you consider "serious listening"?

I would guess he means is when the neighbours start committing mass suicide.

 

[Daverz]

Nice, at what level do you consider "serious listening"?

About 85 dB peak at 8 feet. This is for dynamic symphonic music (e.g. Strauss, Bruckner, Shostakovich, etc.)

The 100W figure was measured by finding the highest typical volume knob setting I use, playing a 1 kHz sine wave at -20 dBFS (from a test CD) with that same volume setting, then measuring the voltage at the speaker terminals. To play back 0 dBFS (highest possible level in program material) without clipping at your volume setting, you'll need ten times that voltage. Square that and divide by 4 or 8 Ohms, depending on what figure you want. That's the maximum possible power needed, not the actual continuous power used when listening to music.

 

[DSJR]

I keep preaching that you can never have too much power, but in reality, many of us have neighbours and in the UK at least, live in smaller rooms by US standards and we just can't turn the wick up for a blast. As long as the amp doesn't 'harden up' when pushed (as some revered UK amps do), I suspect it'll be fine. Totally subjective this, but it's how good a system sounds at LOWER volumes that's just as important as 'how loud will it go?' Good luck

 

[Daverz]

I would guess he means is when the neighbours start committing mass suicide.

My standard is the volume level I'm willing to set after having a couple of IPAs. The neighbors might get a little pissy, but no suicides yet.

 

[Chromatischism]

About 85 dB peak at 8 feet. This is for dynamic symphonic music (e.g. Strauss, Bruckner, Shostakovich, etc.)

The 100W figure was measured by finding the highest typical volume knob setting I use, playing a 1 kHz sine wave at -20 dBFS (from a test CD) with that same volume setting, then measuring the voltage at the speaker terminals. To play back 0 dBFS (highest possible level in program material) without clipping at your volume setting, you'll need ten times that voltage. Square that and divide by 4 or 8 Ohms, depending on what figure you want. That's the maximum possible power needed, not the actual continuous power used when listening to music.

Interesting - can you do the same test with complex music playing, something that exercises the bass driver as well as the tweeter?

 

[Daverz]

Interesting - can you do the same test with complex music playing, something that exercises the bass driver as well as the tweeter?

For the volume knob setting, you're trying to find the highest setting you're likely to use. This will typically not be on "hot" pop music or small acoustic ensembles, but dynamic music (very quiet parts as well as very loud parts) recorded at a lower level that requires a higher volume setting to hear the quiet parts.

Then you just want to find the RMS voltage for that -20 dBFS sine wave at your volume setting so you can extrapolate the RMS voltage for 0 dBFS and use that to calculate power. That will be the maximum continuous power needed. (I didn't come up with this, there's an earlier ASR thread about it.)

 

[hardisj]

If you can spring for the extra or don't mind some DIY'ing, get the Selah Purezza.
https://www.erinsaudiocorner.com/loudspeakers/selah_audio_purezza/

It's better. Speaking from first hand knowledge both on subjective and objective formats.

 

[Chromatischism]

For the volume knob setting, you're trying to find the highest setting you're likely to use. This will typically not be on "hot" pop music or small acoustic ensembles, but dynamic music (very quiet parts as well as very loud parts) recorded at a lower level that requires a higher volume setting to hear the quiet parts.

Then you just want to find the RMS voltage for that -20 dBFS sine wave at your volume setting so you can extrapolate the RMS voltage for 0 dBFS and use that to calculate power. That will be the maximum continuous power needed. (I didn't come up with this, there's an earlier ASR thread about it.)

Sure, but the power needs of the S400 at 1 kHz aren't the same as the bass frequencies, so wouldn't it make more sense to measure the power draw during suitable real-world material?

 

[Daverz]

Sure, but the power needs of the S400 at 1 kHz aren't the same as the bass frequencies, so wouldn't it make more sense to measure the power draw during suitable real-world material?

I think the voltage will be the same (?), actual power depends on impedance. I think you can just divide the squared voltage by the lowest effective impedance (due to both impedance and phase) of the S400. Forgot what that's called, there's a way to compute it from impedance and phase. However, what you are measuring this way is a continuous power specification into 4 Ohms that you want from an amp.

 

[Chromatischism]

Alright. So just buy an NCore NC252MP and remove all doubt (NC122MP will likely do, but the price difference isn't much, and who knows what other speakers you may want to try).