red1302 Posted December 18, 2010 Share Posted December 18, 2010 Hello, Just signed up today. I've been dreaming of owning a pair of Klipsch since I was much younger. I may have an oppurtunity to get a pair of CF-3s.I would like to ask what the minimum wattage I should use to drive them if I do get them ? I don't want to destroy them by using to little power. Thanks, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators dtel Posted December 18, 2010 Moderators Share Posted December 18, 2010 Welcome Really even low power tube amps can power them as long as you don't get crazy with the volume. No matter what the power is it's the excessive volume which makes the amp clip that causes the damage. So it really depends on how loud you want them to go, I would guess almost any average amp/receiver would give you more volume than you would use. Just remember if it starts to sound like the quality of the sound is getting worse back off the volume, just like car audio, you can tell really quickly when you have gone to far. Others may be able to give you more specific answers, I have never had CF-3's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmako Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 I own a pair, but I'm pretty much a bottom dweller on most things electronic. As a consequence, I can't give you much info. But just for grins, I powered mine recently with a tiny, and I mean TINY tri-path amp which probably doesn't put out 10 watts. Very clean watts, but this thing is puny. Surprisingly, they sounded very good, but started to fall apart at loud volume. My Fortes sounded much better with the little amp and I suspect that their efficiency made all the difference. I have listened to my CFs with a whole mess of SS receiver / amp combinations, but never tubes. To my ear, they sound better with higher power, particularly when I am trying to summon the local constable. They're a weird beast, but I love em. Good luck with yours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red1302 Posted December 19, 2010 Author Share Posted December 19, 2010 Thanks for the replies. I asked the question because I was not certain if the 70wpc my Sony receiver from the mid eighties is enough to drive such a speaker. I have other questions that came to mind. Will it make a diference if the speakers can't be placed in the corners of the room? Also, can CFs be raised off the floor without diminishing the quality of sound? Thank you, John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmako Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 70 watts will probably be plenty of power. I often hear guys say that old watts are more powerful than new watts due to the way the output was / is measured, but I don't know about that. RIght now I'm using an ancient 200 wpc Phase Linear amp. They seem pretty happy with that! As far as corners, experiment. The problem is that they are a bit cumbersome to move. I lean then on the corners and "walk" them around. I think they weigh about 90 pounds. Mine have "spikes" which elevate them an inch off the floor. I suspect their main function is to tie them to the floor which has been carpeted to increase the bass. I seldom increase the bass more than one or two stops from flat, and on many recordings have them in the other direction. Especially newer recordings which really seem to be skewed toward more bass, abnormally so to my ears. Its as if we all drive ghetto cruisers, listen to RAP and love to annoy the populace when at stop lights. Gnomesane? Enjoy them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 RIght now I'm using an ancient 200 wpc Phase Linear amp. They seem pretty happy with that! Bob Carver's amplifier designs always used variable power supplies, basically using the power company's transformer outside your dwelling as the real power supply. I've got an old Carver M1.5t that does that. I used that amp with Magnepan MG-IIIAs and never ran out of power...The CF-3s are rated at 100 dB/W at 1 m...I don't think that you will need a lot more than 70 W/channel unless you are trying to impress your neighbors. [:$] Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psg Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 You'd be surprised at how little power we typically use, given the exponential increase in power relative to sound pressure level. Newer receivers have a dB scale for the volume. I often listen to jazz recordings at -40 dB (40 dB below maximum). That corresponds to 0.01% of full power, or 0.01W on a 100W amplifier. So for many types of music, I am using well under 1W. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnatnoop Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 i wouldn't go below 1 or 2 watts, anything more and you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldmako Posted December 20, 2010 Share Posted December 20, 2010 I'm not trying to impress my neighbors, but I have pi$$ed them off a few times! I have tried to explain to them that Who's Next? can only really be appreciated at "fairly high" volume, with "fairly high" being both entirely subjective and under the direct control of the big knob. The big knob being both the one on the amp and the who rotates it clockwise. When Roger screams, YYYYYEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!....he's screaming right? So....loud is good! Big Speaks = Big Sound. I suppose I need a farm or house out in the sticks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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