Do you like to know the real specs, or just happy with the sound

[Anonymous]

I am interested in power ratings for amplifiers for the purpose of ensuring as far as possible my speakers are being driving properly.
By contrast I dislike people asking "how many watts are those speakers, mate?" because I assume they have no understanding and are confusing power handling with loudness/ dB SPL.

 

[Anonymous]

I mean the specs measured by a credible source. Not the manufacturers specs - it's amazing how far off they can be!

 

[gpi]

Sorry, I'm not sure what point you are trying to make here. Are you suggesting some people buy hi-fi based on sound only and ignore compatibility and synergy?

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not trying to make a point, all i wanted to know is who takes technical interest in their hifi, like who takes technical interest in their car. Simple

 

[Anonymous]

I'm happy with the sound although I've been paying it more interest recently. What interests me the most is the difference in manufactures figures and the measured figures. One publication stated the Marantz pm6002 which I own has a measures output of 80wpc not the stated 45wpc into 4Ohm. I think I would pay it more attention if I knew the manufacturers were more consistent.

 

[Anonymous]

I started a thread recently after WhatHiFi recommended a system of a Cyrus 8vs integrated driving some smaller ATC standmount speakers.
It was my understanding that ATC are hard to drive, and it is my experience that Cyrus isn't too powerful, therefore I asked WhatHiFi for a graph to show me how the amp coped when driving those speakers, mainly to see how often clipping occurred. I didn't get an objective response

 

[Anonymous]

ATC aren't hard to drive in the respect of low impedance. But they do have low sensitivity, and therefor need power. I personally wouldn't recommend cyrus, i'd go for nothing under 150W. I use 220W the scm 40's. Most amp's clip most of the time, it's just we don't notice it until it's mostly gone (by buying a much more powerful amp)

 

[gpi]

[quote user="Brisk"]I'm happy with the sound although I've been paying it more interest recently. What interests me the most is the difference in manufactures figures and the measured figures. One publication stated the Marantz pm6002 which I own has a measures output of 80wpc not the stated 45wpc into 4Ohm. I think I would pay it more attention if I knew the manufacturers were more consistent.[/quote]

It would be more into 4 ohms instead of 8. Someone else will be better than me at explaining it.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="The specialist"]ATC aren't hard to drive in the respect of low impedance. But they do have low sensitivity, and therefor need power. I personally wouldn't recommend cyrus, i'd go for nothing under 150W. I use 220W the scm 40's. Most amp's clip most of the time, it's just we don't notice it until it's mostly gone (by buying a much more powerful amp)[/quote]

So would you feel that What HiFi recommended poorly if their "suggested system" was a Cyrus integrated with ATC? If they had measured the relationship between the amp and the speaker could they have done better?

 

[Anonymous]

In my opinion yes. The more you know, the better. Are you trying to set me up?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="The specialist"]In my opinion yes. The more you know, the better. Are you trying to set me up?[/quote]
No, I'm with you.

 

[Anonymous]

Cheers. So what you saving up for, surely not dynaudio's like those in your picture? They're expensive

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="The specialist"]ATC aren't hard to drive in the respect of low impedance. But they do have low sensitivity, and therefor need power. I personally wouldn't recommend cyrus, i'd go for nothing under 150W. I use 220W the scm 40's. Most amp's clip most of the time, it's just we don't notice it until it's mostly gone (by buying a much more powerful amp)[/quote]

Begs the question, why are the majority of manufacturers making amps which are inadequately powered. Could it be that clipping is not the big deal it is often made out to be. Even a lot of power amps are rated at less than 150W/channel ( my primare a30.2 for instance). Either they do not know what they're doing ( the manufacturers) or i'm a bit of a mug for paying big dollars for something that is inadequate. (not that i've noticed anything lacking though).

 

[Anonymous]

I'm not saving up for anything. I just use AVI ADM9 active monitors. I just settled on that avatar because I had the photo on my laptop.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JAXON5"][quote user="The specialist"]ATC aren't hard to drive in the respect of low impedance. But they do have low sensitivity, and therefor need power. I personally wouldn't recommend cyrus, i'd go for nothing under 150W. I use 220W the scm 40's. Most amp's clip most of the time, it's just we don't notice it until it's mostly gone (by buying a much more powerful amp)[/quote]

Begs the question, why are the majority of manufacturers making amps which are inadequately powered. Could it be that clipping is not the big deal it is often made out to be. Even a lot of power amps are rated at less than 150W/channel ( my primare a30.2 for instance). Either they do not know what they're doing ( the manufacturers) or i'm a bit of a mug for paying big dollars for something that is inadequate. (not that i've noticed anything lacking though).[/quote]

It's more expensive to make a powerful amp. Think of the power supplies and heatsinks. Why bother spending more when the mags don't even measure?

 

[Anonymous]

It's not easy making a high quality high power amplifier. Musical fidelity's Anthony Michaelson did a test a number of years ago where he professionally recorded live music from two instruments (clarinet and piano if memory serves). He then played the music back through his KW amp (1000W ofcourse) and a range of speakers. The whole point was to try and get the speakers to match the levels the instruments managed without clipping. He first tried quad electrostatics, they weren't nearly loud enough. Then Kef Ref 205 (memory again) and they were better but not up to it. Finally he tried Tannoy Dimension TD12's and their power handling and sensitivity managed to match the instruments for dynamics. During the test he measured the dynamic power drawn from the KW's output stage and it was frequently about 600W. So it seems for realistic playback, you need sensitive speakers with high power handling and a huge amp. I guess not many of us have true high fidelity after-all

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="darrenwm1"]Why bother spending more when the mags don't even measure? [/quote]

I'd say charging over a grand for a power amp should make it worth their while ;-) . HFN/ HFC etc recommend all the time amps which are rated way less than 150W/ channel. I'm not convinced its that crucial (but then again i haven't heard a 250W/ channel amplifier) maybe i'll try to listen to a MF A5.5 and compare...........

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="JAXON5"]HFN/ HFC etc[/quote]

If you don't stop swearing....

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="The specialist"]During the test he measured the dynamic power drawn from the KW's output stage and it was frequently about 600W. So it seems for realistic playback, you need sensitive speakers with high power handling and a huge amp. I guess not many of us have true high fidelity after-all[/quote]

Thanks. That does answer my question. Funny though that what we should hear, most of us probably don't. Well anyway..........

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JAXON5"][quote user="The specialist"]During the test he measured the dynamic power drawn from the KW's output stage and it was frequently about 600W. So it seems for realistic playback, you need sensitive speakers with high power handling and a huge amp. I guess not many of us have true high fidelity after-all[/quote]

Thanks. That does answer my question. Funny though that what we should hear, most of us probably don't. Well anyway..........[/quote]

Jaxon dont be surprised by this lack of an answer. ashley james also stated this claim about clipping and yet when i asked him and others to explain why i cant hear it with my 50watt amp compared to my 150watt amp no-one could or did answer why.
after all, if we cant hear this problem then is it really a problem at all? and remember, high fidelity isnt necessarily musical or pleasant to listen to.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="The specialist"]I am interested in my amps power rating because in order to accurately reproduce the dynamics of music you need hundreds of watts....... My curse i guess[/quote]
http://www.axiomaudio.com/a1400-8.html

This might help quench your thirst! If not, you might want to take this route...

http://www.electronics-lab.com/projects/audio/043/

 

[Anonymous]

Kaboom!

 

[Anonymous]

Key Atomic Benefits Organization Of Mankind!

 

[Anonymous]

Naked gun. Very good!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="gpi"][quote user="Brisk"]I'm happy with the sound although I've been paying it more interest recently. What interests me the most is the difference in manufactures figures and the measured figures. One publication stated the Marantz pm6002 which I own has a measures output of 80wpc not the stated 45wpc into 4Ohm. I think I would pay it more attention if I knew the manufacturers were more consistent.[/quote]

It would be more into 4 ohms instead of 8. Someone else will be better than me at explaining it.[/quote]
Thats what I thought so I doubled checked, they said 50W into 8Ohms and 80W into 4Ohms.