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2 watts for Khorns


Sid K

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This question can open far more additional questions than answers. I do know that I have several amps the two with least power, George Wright 2a3 single ended  monoblocks at 2.5 watts and another KT66 SE amp at 5-6 watts all driving various Klipsch speakers KHorns being one. My room is good sized at approx. 23x25 stretching to 28x25. I have no DB meter but sitting back 17 feet the 2a3 will play as loud as I would ever want to listen. Is it rock show level loud, no. But with plenty authority for my ears. The "loud" question, enough power question are both very subjective to the individual. 

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^^^^^

A good question. Will 2a3's drive the bins - for sure. With amazing low bass. BUT will it have an ultimate bass Slam and not just low bass frequency? Probably not, don't know how it could but on the other hand am I willing to listen at that type of sound levels? I'm not. 

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Quick answer:  No.  One time I put 25 watts each into my stereo pair of Klipschorns at the end of a Mahler symphony.  I read the 25 watt very brief peaks on my amp of the time that had peak reading meters.  Although it was outrageously loud, it was clean, and had incredible authority and slam.

 

Longer answerPWK and Don Keel put together a nifty table of how much power various Heritage speakers needed to produce given average SPL levels in a 3,000 cu ft. room.  It is somewhere in The Dope from Hope.  I mislaid my copy, but I believe I remember that with 2 watts into a Klipschorn, you would get to get a level of 100 dB at typical listening distance (which, elsewhere, PWK said was about 16 feet from each speaker, certainly not the 1 meter used to determine sensitivity ratings). .  PWK thought you would need very brief peaks of 115 dB to reproduce the "blood stirring" levels of a symphony orchestra.  He should have known; he measured and recorded several symphony concerts.   To get instantaneous peaks of 115 dB you would need 63 watts, for just that instant.  He also said that the same 115 dB level as an average, rather than a peak, would be "too damn loud."

 

If you can find The Dope from Hope, it would be best to check my memory.  I believe the article was from 1977, perhaps January?

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31 minutes ago, garyrc said:

If you can find The Dope from Hope, it would be best to check my memory.  I believe the article was from 1977, perhaps January?

 

C'mon Gary, get your stuff together!  Was the article from Jan or Feb of 1977??? 

 

We expect more than that from a Forum Ultra Veteran like yourself with over 2500 posts.  :rolleyes:

 

 

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5 hours ago, garyrc said:

If you can find The Dope from Hope, it would be best to check my memory.  I believe the article was from 1977, perhaps January?

See https://community.klipsch.com/applications/core/interface/file/attachment.php?id=69980

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I'm currently using under two watts 45EML/2a3 SET on jubs in a 15x13x11 room around 90-95db... Love it. I switch back and forth but I love this setup. I usually biamp PP EL37 triode wired for LF 30wpc and the 45  2wpc on the HF. Currently building Brook 12A clones and can't wait to hear it if I don't burn the house down lol...

 

The best thing to do is try it yourself.

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14 hours ago, richieb said:

I have no DB meter but sitting back 17 feet the 2a3 will play as loud as I would ever want to listen.

I have always enjoyed reading your comments, but this one has me wishing for a SPL number so I can relate to what "loud" enough at 2 watts is. If you have a smart phone or tablet, there are some free apps for SPL meters. There are also pocket size SPL meters available online for about twenty dollars. These may not be scientifically accurate, but are very handy for casual reference measurements.

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Here are some SPL meter readings of 103db at one meter and 93db at four meters from one Klipschorn, and the corresponding amp output voltage reading of 2.9 VAC, approx. 1 watt. 103db of pink noise at one meter sounds like a blast furnace. So, 2 watts x 2 Klipschorns can realistically be claimed to be loud enough for most people, depending on your listening preference, the size of your room and the dynamic range of the music. For comparison, using the same SPL meter while sitting in the middle of the audience at a symphony orchestra concert, I usually get readings in the mid 90dbs with 100+db peaks.

My voltage readings lead to a new question. Why did the volume knob on a 60 watt SS amp need to be turned to the 2 o'clock position for a 1 watt output? I also plugged in several different music player sources and they all reach similar SPL readings at that knob position. So do we need multiples of watts to turn it up just a little bit more?

 

IMG_0247.JPGIMG_0257.JPGIMG_0254.JPG

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8 minutes ago, wdecho said:

"The higher end equipment usually have linear pots and mass produced amplifiers have audio pots."

I would think just the opposite. Audio taper pots would give you more control and smoother adjustments. I would naturally assume that the 'audiophile' ammps would have the better component.

 

Bruce

 

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On 1/24/2017 at 5:57 AM, wdecho said:

Loud is subjective so no clear answer should be expected using only 2 watts. It also depends on the amplifier circuit and components used. I have a number of 2 watt or less SET's and most are plenty loud for my setup. Most visitors who hear my setup using a 2 watt SET tell me to turn it down some. The quality of output transformers used is the limiting factor for some of the cheaper 2 watt SET's and this is in the bass slam and dynamics. A good 2 watt SET will satisfy most using our speakers. The last few days I have been listening with my 2 watt 45 tube amp which at the top of my list of the 20 or more amps I own. The clearest cleanest vocals and sound I have ever heard. Fantastic tube. 

I have been told this from a SET amp builder as well

Very interesting.

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