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Topic: Which amp is best for these speakers ? (Read 4059 times) previous topic - next topic
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Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Hello all-
I was wondering if someone who knows a lot about amplifiers could tell me which amp is best for these speakers :

http://pmc-speakers.com/products/professional/passive/tb2s

The choices I have are :

2 flying mole dad-100 monoblocks :  https://www.flyingmole.co.jp/en/pdf/product/dadm100proE.pdf


This art sla100 amplifier :  http://artproaudio.com/art_products/studio...s/product/sla1/


This Rotel amplifier (specs on page 23)  :  http://www.rotel.com/content/manuals/rb971_multi.pdf

I know Ive been here before but any help would be appreciated cheers !

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #1
Is there a particular reason why you have those three choices only?

Any of them will work just fine. The biggest difference is that the Flying Moles and the ART are 100 watts per channel, where the Rotel is "only" 70 watts per channel. Unless you're aiming to play really really loud, it probably won't make a difference.

Personally from just reading the specs and looking at them, I'd go with the Flying Moles, because I think they're neat and tiny and because I love their company name. If you're actually paying for this yourself, go with whichever option is cheapest.

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #2
Is there a particular reason why you have those three choices only?

Any of them will work just fine. The biggest difference is that the Flying Moles and the ART are 100 watts per channel, where the Rotel is "only" 70 watts per channel. Unless you're aiming to play really really loud, it probably won't make a difference.

Personally from just reading the specs and looking at them, I'd go with the Flying Moles, because I think they're neat and tiny and because I love their company name. If you're actually paying for this yourself, go with whichever option is cheapest.


I already have the Rotel and the Art - but I could sell the art and get the moles - which incidently are the ones PMC recomend. However someone said to me recently that its not just the "wattage" that you need to look at but the current coming out of the amp - thats way above my head so I am not even sure what spec to look at for current... or if they were talking bollocks or not (:

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #3
Any of them will work just fine. The biggest difference is that the Flying Moles and the ART are 100 watts per channel, where the Rotel is "only" 70 watts per channel. Unless you're aiming to play really really loud, it probably won't make a difference.


Isn't the the amp with the most "power" going to sound "best", given we don't know the size of the room and the speakers can handle all these amps put out?
Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?  ;~)

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #4
Sure, it's always nice to have more headroom.

I would just stick with the Art amp, then. Or sell it and get the Flying Moles. Either option will work great.


Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #6
Any of them will work just fine. The biggest difference is that the Flying Moles and the ART are 100 watts per channel, where the Rotel is "only" 70 watts per channel. Unless you're aiming to play really really loud, it probably won't make a difference.


Isn't the the amp with the most "power" going to sound "best", given we don't know the size of the room and the speakers can handle all these amps put out?


The room is pretty big - I've had much louder speakers in there but anyway - I move these speakers around to different places so room size is not a factor here.  I listen at quite low levels when working - in fact its the frequency response at low listening levels that the manufacturer says makes the choice of amp important - I dont know why that should be , if its just marketing etc. The same speakers now come with 200w per channel monoblocks from PMC so they can definitely handle the wattage, it more "not enough" power that I worry about (clipping at high volumes etc) .

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #7
Not if the more powerful amp is more noisy at actual listening levels!


Ok, then. "All things else being equal, choose the amp with the most headroom" or something like that 


Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #9
I suggest you read other posts in this forum, oh wait, the hardware forum (you know, the one where this topic belongs) because this has been asked and answered several times over.

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #10
I suggest you read other posts in this forum, oh wait, the hardware forum (you know, the one where this topic belongs) because this has been asked and answered several times over.


I did try reading this one :

https://www.hydrogenaud.io/forums/index.php...105974&st=0


I found I lost the will to live after about 15 posts ....... can I move this to the correct forum ? Anyway - my original question appears to be answered ... the Moles are probably better - I guess Im just wondering if there's any other spec I should be looking at apart from watts.


Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #12
Quote
However someone said to me recently that its not just the "wattage" that you need to look at but the current coming out of the amp - thats way above my head...
You can't have one without the other.

Power (in Watts) = Current (in Amps) Squared x Resistance
Power = Voltage Squared / Resistance
Power = Voltage x Current

And you might want to know about Ohm's Law, which describes the relationship between Voltage, Current, and Resistance:
  Current = Voltage/Resistance
  Voltage = Current x Resistance
  Resistance = Voltage/Current

You can think of voltage a pressure, such as pressure in a water pipe.  Resistance/impedance is a restriction or a small pipe, and current is "flow".    More voltage = more current flow.  More resistance is less current flow.  (The water pipe analogy isn't perfect, but it's a good way to start thinking about the relationship between voltage, resistance, and current.  But, for example, an open/broken water pipe is zero resistance and the water flows out freely.  An open/broken electrical connection is infinite resistance and zero current flows.  Also, nothing bad happens with zero water resistance but things tend to burn-up with zero electrical resistance.  )

Impedance and Resistance are similar.  They are both measured in Ohms and they both resist/restrict the flow of current.  You may see Ohm's Law expressed with impedance instead of resistance.

Most amplifiers are "constant voltage", which doesn't mean the voltage doesn't change.    The voltage changes with the music/program material and the volume control.    Constant Voltage means the voltage doesn't change when you change the load impedance/resistance (when operated within spec).    i.e. If you replace your 8-Ohm speakers with 4-Ohm speakers you get twice the current, so twice the power.  But, that's ONLY true is long as the amplifier is capable of supplying the increased current.  If the amplifier is not rated for 4-Ohm operation, it won't supply twice the power and it might even overheat.  (Or it could be rated for safe 4-Ohm operation, but it may not put out twice the power.)

Or, if you connect a 2nd pair of 8-Ohm speakers in parallel that's 4-Ohms total and twice the total power.  ...The voltage to the first pair of speakers doesn't change, and the 2nd set of speakers is getting the same voltage, so twice the total power.  Again, that's assuming the amplifier is capable of supplying the current. 

BTW - If you double the voltage you also double the current, so 4 times the power.

 

Which amp is best for these speakers ?

Reply #13
Quote
The voltage changes with the music/program material and the volume control.


And it doesn't matter how much maximum potential power (current, voltage) is available from the amp as the load only needs what it needs dependent on the volume and impedance ie the load can't sense extra power that is not there from the special amp. Correct?