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Higher Watt vs Lower Watt Amplifier, listen at the same loudness. Is there any benefit?

lmaobrah

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Higher Watt vs Lower Watt Amplifier, listen at the same loudness. Is there any benefit?
Assuming all environments are the same, only watt difference (e.g. 120w/CH vs 70w/CH)

The reason to ask is there has been suggestions, and also from some subjective review,
said that some speakers need higher watt amp to really shine.
But in my case, I only listen at around 30-50% volume of my 70w amp.
So should there be any benefit if going to, like 120w or 250w and listen at the same loudness?

Thanks,
 

solderdude

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The 120W amp could go 2.3dB louder.
Here is the thing about amp specs though.

It could well be that the 70W spec'd one is specified at a low distortion for instance and such amp could have more 'peak' headroom (which is what music is about) and could well offer more output power.
The 120W amp may well have been spec'd at say 1% distortion and have little dynamic headroom.
In such a specific case there could not be any audible differences at all.

Could also be that the 70W amp is absolute max rated and doesn't have extra peak headroom and the 120W is spec'd conservatively and can reach much higher peak levels.

So... hard to tell but going of specs the 120W and 70W are not worthwhile differences.

Besides, as the question stands when used below 50W there are no differences, assuming both amps are competently designed.
It could well be that one of them is of a cheap and crappy design.
 

GXAlan

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Works both ways. More watts is better, all things considered for dynamic headroom, but an expensive low wattage amplifier may be superior to a AV receiver‘s high wattage + high noise/distortion.

For a given budget, Lower wattage amp may be cleaner at lower powers.

Most solid state amps are cleanest right before clipping. Many speakers are efficient enough that you end up listening to 1-10 watts of power.

What speakers and amp are you currently using?
 
OP
L

lmaobrah

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What speakers and amp are you currently using?
Hi, thanks for the input,
For more specific example. Currently I'm using 70w DIY Nap140 clone amp, with DIY Peerless speakers.
Planning to try Class D amp using IcePower or NCore module.
For example,
- NCore NC122mp amp (75w/ch at 8 ohm)
- NCore NC252mp amp (125w/ch at 8 ohm)
Would the NC252mp will be better than the NC122mp at the same loudness?
 

PolkFan

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Surprised its not posted yet

1W
10W
100W
1000W

You have to have 10 times the power for something to be twice as loud.
 
D

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Surprised its not posted yet

1W
10W
100W
1000W

You have to have 10 times the power for something to be twice as loud.

I always thought it was every 10dB is perceived as twice as loud? And for every 3dB increase you need double the wattage?

I’m certainly no expert though so may have that completely wrong.
 

wwenze

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Manufacturers should start showing THD+N vs power instead of just a number.
 

A800

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Surprised its not posted yet

1W
10W
100W
1000W

You have to have 10 times the power for something to be twice as loud.


I thought it's +6db for double the perceived loudness which equals 4 times the power.
 

RayDunzl

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Last edited:

A800

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Ok.
No one knows for real.
Thank you.
 

RayDunzl

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No one knows for real.

10db is the generally accepted value.

Try it out if you have the tools.

My scale, at reasonable loudeness levels

1dB - just noticeable
3dB - just a little
6dB - obvious
10dB - big change -call it double
20dB - like between dimmed and normal
30dB - like real soft to loud
70dB - barely hear anything to quite loud
 

A800

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Good idea.
I have a db-meter lying around.

EDIT:
Back from testing.
Results:
+6 db seems to be too less to to qualify for double the loudness.
+10 db is more like it.
Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
 

RayDunzl

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Good idea.
I have a db-meter lying around

Better if you can adjust the level at or near the source:

miniDSP control here:

1588010088727.png
 

A800

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True.
But the db-meter^ seems to be accurate enough.
And I got a compressor in the chain.
 

RayDunzl

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But the db-meter^ seems to be accurate enough.

I'm thinking in terms of music - which bounces around - not a test tone...
 

A800

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Sure.
I used music.
A heavily compressed track+a compressor in the chain so I think it might work.
I edited my post earlier^.
The result was
+6db doesn't seem to qualify for double the perceived loudness.
+10dB has been more like it.
The db-meter was jumping around a little, I used the average.
 

RayDunzl

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