monster integrated amplifiers - how much power do you need ?!

[Deleted member 188516]

just noted this new model of integrated amplifier from musical fidelity.

the m8xi...all 550 wpc of it !

question is though how much actual power do we really need ?!

Musical Fidelity | M8xi Integrated Amplifier

M8xi | Integrated Amplifier The M8xi is a Super Integrated Amplifier. Find a Dealer Product...

www.musicalfidelity.com

 

[Al ears]

We it's nice to have a bit in reserve....... like 520. 🙂

 

[Surly Sid]

Unless you have inefficient speakers in a large room, I have found that 50 watts is plenty. I used to have a Naim 5i, and it was all the power I needed in a medium room with reasonably efficient speakers.

I now have 4 ohm speakers rated at 89db. My 80 watt Supernait 2 is more than enough to drive them.

 

[jonathanRD]

Unless you have inefficient speakers in a large room, I have found that 50 watts is plenty. I used to have a Naim 5i, and it was all the power I needed in a medium room with reasonably efficient speakers.

I now have 4 ohm speakers rated at 89db. My 80 watt Supernait 2 is more than enough to drive them.

Ha ha! But have you tried more? 😉

 

[rainsoothe]

Where was that video where someone shows Harbeth'a Alan Shaw how huge the power peaks are during normal playback? (Somewhere in the 7-800 W/ch range if I remember correctly).

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Ha ha! But have you tried more? 😉

what does more power bring in actual sound quality terms though ?

a clear sound (still) when played at higher volume levels or is it more than that ?

(such as a fuller sound, more dynamics etc).

 

[jonathanRD]

😉

what does more power bring in actual sound quality terms though ?

a clear sound (still) when played at higher volume levels or is it more than that ?

(such as a fuller sound, more dynamics etc).

In my experience, the latter - a fuller sound and more dynamics.
With the same speakers, I went from 38wpc to 72wpc on demo, and then demoed two amps @100wpc before finally settling on two mono power amps @ 100wpc.

 

[Deleted member 188516]

😉

In my experience, the latter - a fuller sound and more dynamics.
With the same speakers, I went from 38wpc to 72wpc on demo, and then demoed two amps @100wpc before finally settling on two mono power amps @ 100wpc.

in that case i'll settle for a 1000w amp !

 

[abacus]

It all depends on your speaker efficiency, the sound levels you listen to, and the size of the room, speaker manufactures will usually give you a range of power that is suitable for their speakers depending on room size and volume levels.
As a rule of thumb it is better to have more than you need, so that on very dynamic sounds you do not run the amp into clipping, or cause the amp to reduce the power to protect itself.
Bill

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Over the last couple of days at the store i’ve found PrimaLuna’s Evo 300 vacuum tube integrated @ 42w/ch in ultra linear or @ 24w/ch in triode with Monitor Audio’s 5G Gold 300’s and ATC’s curved passive SCM40’s to be more than enough 🙂

 

[Surly Sid]

Ha ha! But have you tried more? 😉

Yes. I once had a 150 watt NAD 375BEE. I replaced it with the 50 watt Naim and the Naim was better all around. It had more slam, bass and played easily as loud.

I came up with the following formula 1 British watt = 3 Chinese watts.

 

[jonathanRD]

Over the last couple of days at the store i’ve found PrimaLuna’s Evo 300 vacuum tube integrated @ 42w/ch in ultra linear or @ 24w/ch in triode with Monitor Audio’s 5G Gold 300’s and ATC’s curved passive SCM40’s to be more than enough 🙂

Just to give some balance, this amplifier is around £3800 so its not a straightforward comparison to solid state amplifiers. Probably most 'normal' solid state amplifiers that have 40 - 50wpc are about £150 - £500.

 

[jonathanRD]

Yes. I once had a 150 watt NAD 375BEE. I replaced it with the 50 watt Naim and the Naim was better all around. It had more slam, bass and played easily as loud.

I came up with the following formula 1 British watt = 3 Chinese watts.

Aren't Naim watts supposed to be especially special 🙂

 

[batonwielder]

Aren't Naim watts supposed to be especially special 🙂

Not at all. I could not play demanding classical works without burning out some tweeters when demoing the little 5i's back in the day. I didn't set the volume. The dealer did.

 

[Al ears]

Over the last couple of days at the store i’ve found PrimaLuna’s Evo 300 vacuum tube integrated @ 42w/ch in ultra linear or @ 24w/ch in triode with Monitor Audio’s 5G Gold 300’s and ATC’s curved passive SCM40’s to be more than enough 🙂

You will not be surprised as to what speakers I can drive with the Tom Evans Audio Linear A with all of its 25 wpc. 🙂
However, I don't own massive inefficient speakers.

 

[Friesiansam]

Aren't Naim watts supposed to be especially special 🙂

A Super Nait delivers super Watts?

 

[Gray]

Not at all. I could not play demanding classical works without burning out some tweeters when demoing the little 5i's back in the day. I didn't set the volume. The dealer did.

Great demo 😆

 

[Deleted member 188516]

Over the last couple of days at the store i’ve found PrimaLuna’s Evo 300 vacuum tube integrated @ 42w/ch in ultra linear or @ 24w/ch in triode with Monitor Audio’s 5G Gold 300’s and ATC’s curved passive SCM40’s to be more than enough 🙂

may i ask why do you think musical fidelity have produced such a high powered amplifier ?!

 

[Deleted member 116933]

As with all things in hif its not as clear cut, and its only in recent years where BIG power has been really needed.

Boils down to the speakers, If you have large horn-loaded speakers with 110db sensitivity and a nominal load of 8-10ohms then as the road safety signs say 20s plenty. It will sound like 1000watt monoblocks and you're using probably 1 watt, you have a load of headroom. and as long as the power your giving then is "clean" you can use some pretty modest amps cost-wise.

Efficiency is king and will always be, and these speaker tend to be bigger so so everything tends to sound bigger naturally.

Personally i wouldn't chase power any more but that's me

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

Isn't it gain that determines how loud a speaker sounds, and that power merely gives you control over the speakers' drive units?

 

[Deleted member 188516]

years ago musical fidelity sent me some literature stating that amplifiers needed to be at least 500w to recreate accurate dynamics or something.

they even sent a little sliding chart to show how many watts were needed based on a speakers sensitivity - anybody remember that ?

 

[gasolin]

Where was that video where someone shows Harbeth'a Alan Shaw how huge the power peaks are during normal playback? (Somewhere in the 7-800 W/ch range if I remember correctly).

I have 280 watt in 4 ohm and 380watt in 2 ohm Pr channel, that's enough for my small speakers

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3WpRY-EtX8

 

[rainsoothe]

I have 280 watt in 4 ohm and 380watt in 2 ohm Pr channel, that's enough for my small speakers

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3WpRY-EtX8

Thank you!

 

[gasolin]

Guess who uploaded it ;-)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

may i ask why do you think musical fidelity have produced such a high powered amplifier ?!

Probably best to ask MF.

In the meantime and as i write this i am thoroughly enjoying hearing the 5G Gold's on the end of the 42w of the Evo 300 integrated 🙂