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RE: Can I pick your brain please

At those sorts of volumes you're always going to be fine because even with a 30dB peak (from a baseline of 50dB you would hit 80dB - and the vast majority of recordings are 20dB or less of peak headroom.

And that is assuming a 50dB baseline but it might be that the baseline is lower than that.

I have not heard Bottlehead - my 2a3 amps are Empress Silver parallel single-ended so I get around 7-8 watts per channel. Although they sound far more powerful than 300B amps with the same rated output. I don't know why that is but it a common sensation from 2a3 owners that they sound more powerful.

Speakers are not just sensitivity ratings so other factors come into play. Also the size of the room and how far back you sit.

And it kind of matters as to the quality of the amp (doesn't it always?). With SET the transformers become the most critical aspect of the sound. Back in the day, I compared a Meishu 300b to a Cary 300b, and the latter sound flat boring, slow, and plodding compared to the Meishu. The Cary was still better than any SS amp the store was selling - it was just the unfortunate match against the Meishu (granted a lot more money back then).

2a3 usually comes with 3.5 watts per channel. What I would do is if you really want it, buy it but be prepared that if it doesn't work out to use it in a second system with HE speakers. There are a lot more HE speakers out there today and so you may find one you like - the trouble is the HE/Horn speakers I tend to like cost more than a new Honda CRV.




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  • RE: Can I pick your brain please - RGA 11/19/2000:23:04 11/19/20 (2)

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