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RE: Shouldn't 50 watts be enough for any speaker?

It largely depends on the quality of the amplifier not solely the watt number. When SET amps are pushed their distortion rises but it's a softer sounding sort of distortion. This gives rise to the notion that it "seems" like they are the equivalent of a SS amplifier at three times the power.

The efficiency of the speaker nullifies most high watt advantages. The last four speakers in my home were all easily driven with a 24 watt SET amplifier from Line Magnetic at all volume levels and with any music from Beethoven to Nightwish.

However, one speaker I had - the KEF LS-50 - was too tough for my KingKo KA 101 Pro (12 watts per channel EL84 push pull). The manufacturer of the amp agreed as he he tried them as a demonstrator for his amp.

The LM 219IA however had no trouble. The LS-50 is on the more difficult to drive spectrum. But because the KEF is a small near-field speaker chances are they won't be put in a big room.

Here is the main thing - you don't need an amp to drive "any speaker" you need an amp to drive YOUR speakers.

My logic is this. If you buy a product from a manufacturer you should, ideally, be buying not just a box that sits in your room but into a design philosophy. Just as you buy an SUV to drive off-road and a sports car for the track and not the sports car for off-road and the SUV for the track.

So if you buy a SET amp you are buying into a "belief system" or "Sonic-aesthetic" surrounding the raison dêtre of the product's existence. Match a SET to a higher efficiency speaker. And buy speakers from manufacturers who design them with SET amplifier's in mind.

So yes the Line Magnetic 219IA had no trouble with my KEF which may illustrate some pretty hefty power supplies, in the end it was the first speaker I sold because the LM and my other amps made all three of my other speakers sound consistently better.

And these three other speakers are happy with around 7 watts. Making a 50 watt SET overkill.



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