Question about Naim Power Amps and power...
Posted by: Top Cat on 26 January 2004
Hi folks.
Just read the topic somewhere down below about someone's active 250s shutting down. I don't have active 250s - just a single olive 250 - and I'm intrigued by this whole shutting down business.
I assume it's related in some way to the current demands placed on the amp by the speakers, and also a function of the temperature of the amp. However, over the weekend I was fortunate enough to have the house to myself and the knowledge that the neighbours were out. I have a drumkit upstairs, and I know the sorts of volumes I can get out of that. Although the volume I was playing at wasn't quite as dynamic, it wasn't far short. However, the 250 never got any more than slightly warm to the touch, even at eye-blinkingly loud transients.
My speakers are 90db efficient, 4 ohm load, and my room is 18'ish by 15'ish, with a 10' ceiling or so. That doesn't sound like a hugely efficient situation, though saying that it's obviously not hugely inefficient either - kinda the 'Baby Bear's Porridge' of room/speaker efficiency.
So, it's difficult for me to comprehend what sorts of levels some guys must be playing their systems at to cause the 250 to cut out - I suspect I'm nowhere close, even at those deafening volumes.
Though I am happy with my system, a few people have suggested I change from my 250 to 135s to match with the 52/SC. I've always wondered why - any qualitative improvement must be small if the amps are similar in design and if my 250 is powerful enough already. I'm sure this would change if I had some 'pig-of-a-load' speakers such as Apogees or Saras, but I don't, and I question what a bigger amp would bring when I'm unaware of any distortion or limit within the realms of normal, everyday-to-pretty-loud listening.
If my 250 is able to do this with my speakers & room - is there much point in (say) a pair of 135s, a 300 or even a 500? As someone who lived quite happily with a 23wpc amp with these speakers and achieved superb dynamics before, I'm not so convinced the power has much to do with it, rather believing that the quality of the circuitry and power supply make much more of a difference at any given volume level...
Monday afternoon musings...
John
Just read the topic somewhere down below about someone's active 250s shutting down. I don't have active 250s - just a single olive 250 - and I'm intrigued by this whole shutting down business.
I assume it's related in some way to the current demands placed on the amp by the speakers, and also a function of the temperature of the amp. However, over the weekend I was fortunate enough to have the house to myself and the knowledge that the neighbours were out. I have a drumkit upstairs, and I know the sorts of volumes I can get out of that. Although the volume I was playing at wasn't quite as dynamic, it wasn't far short. However, the 250 never got any more than slightly warm to the touch, even at eye-blinkingly loud transients.
My speakers are 90db efficient, 4 ohm load, and my room is 18'ish by 15'ish, with a 10' ceiling or so. That doesn't sound like a hugely efficient situation, though saying that it's obviously not hugely inefficient either - kinda the 'Baby Bear's Porridge' of room/speaker efficiency.
So, it's difficult for me to comprehend what sorts of levels some guys must be playing their systems at to cause the 250 to cut out - I suspect I'm nowhere close, even at those deafening volumes.
Though I am happy with my system, a few people have suggested I change from my 250 to 135s to match with the 52/SC. I've always wondered why - any qualitative improvement must be small if the amps are similar in design and if my 250 is powerful enough already. I'm sure this would change if I had some 'pig-of-a-load' speakers such as Apogees or Saras, but I don't, and I question what a bigger amp would bring when I'm unaware of any distortion or limit within the realms of normal, everyday-to-pretty-loud listening.
If my 250 is able to do this with my speakers & room - is there much point in (say) a pair of 135s, a 300 or even a 500? As someone who lived quite happily with a 23wpc amp with these speakers and achieved superb dynamics before, I'm not so convinced the power has much to do with it, rather believing that the quality of the circuitry and power supply make much more of a difference at any given volume level...
Monday afternoon musings...
John
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Top Cat:
Fair enough, but *how* is it better - timing, speed, bass depth, warmth/coolth, clarity, imaging, what?
Is there such a word as "coolth" - if not there should be !!
Fair enough, but *how* is it better - timing, speed, bass depth, warmth/coolth, clarity, imaging, what?
Is there such a word as "coolth" - if not there should be !!