[Peter Wieck]

eponymous cowherd wrote:
I often see the term flea watt amp, but do not know what the cut off
point for this is. What is the threshold between flea watts and the rest?

Mostly any given SET or SE amplifier with a rating of 3 watts or less.
Mostly less. Inevitably you will see a posting from Andre Jute (Andrew
Jute McCoy) on this, as the subject is near-and-dear to what passes for
its heart. You will also be sent to its website wherein you will be
propagandized with a lot of dysfunctional drivel, bad data and what
would be anywhere outside a church taken for rampant lies.

The bottom line is that such equipment is highly specialized, requires
matching to equally highly specialized speakers, and is severely
limited in dynamic range and response. The speakers required are what
is laughingly known as "full-range, point-source single drivers",
wherein "full range" is defined as something well over 100hz to
something well under 20Khz, so fine for solo voice, limited
instrumentation and so forth. That is not to say that the equipment
will not pass signal above or below said range, but that the speakers
will not be capable of moving the requisite amount of air to be in any
way audible beyond those limits.

However it is a cult in itself, often treated as "revealed religion" by
its adherents who can be rigidly and nastily strident about it. Hence
the church comment above.

All of the above is only my opinion, but watch the byplay as it
develops.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Bob H.]

The bottom line is that such equipment is highly specialized, requires
matching to equally highly specialized speakers, and is severely
limited in dynamic range and response. The speakers required are what
is laughingly known as "full-range, point-source single drivers",
wherein "full range" is defined as something well over 100hz to
something well under 20Khz, so fine for solo voice, limited
instrumentation and so forth. That is not to say that the equipment
will not pass signal above or below said range, but that the speakers
will not be capable of moving the requisite amount of air to be in any
way audible beyond those limits.

I think generalizing SE like that is a bit on the harsh side (no pun
intended). Horn-loaded multi driver speakers are also good with
flea-watters. I think realistic full range for single drivers is
actually in the 40 hertz range normally for a good one. Mine are
strong to the 40's, and audible in the low 30's.

Good dynamic range, defintion, and frequency extension is possible with
flea-watt amps. You just need higher quality speakers. You cant take
a bunch of mid quality drivers, crossover the hell out of them to get a
flat response at 86dB/m, and expect to drive the mess with a couple of
watts.

The real bottom line on flea-watters: There is simply a crowd of
experimenters who believe that less is more, and aren't afraid to put a
little time and effort into matching (or building) thier speakers to
compliment these type of amps. The only way to judge this type of
setup is to listen to a good one for yourself and make up your own
mind.

After I finally get my 300B and 2a3 amps done, I'm going to pp triode
amps to experiment, in class a and ab. With PP, very low power triodes
can be used for a couple of watts. So many choices to try with my
Cornwalls.

ALL diy rules.
Bob H.

[[email protected]]

Hi RATs!

"Flea Wattage" is the other end of the scale which is terminated by
"Krell Hell".

If you enjoy listening to Music, it doesn't matter where on the scale
the system playing is located. It is not a musical property. Music is
for sissies and fags and old geezers like me. Real macho web snipers
use meters to measure their orgasms. It is all meaningless bull****.
Either dig the tunes or suck your meter probes. This ain't some la-la
candyland. The engineering geeks couldn't find their soul with both
hands and a flashlight.

Happy Ears!
Al

P.S. Sigh

[- - : R A T B o y : - -]

And at that precise point, the flame wars began...

[Andre Jute]

wrote:

Music is for sissies and fags and old geezers like me.

And for a rollerblader with a few empty bottles and an urge to perform
Mozart. Will your mailbox accept a 1.1Mb wmv movie of the event, Al?
(Anyone else wants it, let me know within the next 24 hours so I can
make just one mailing.)

Andre Jute
Impedance is futile, you will be simulated into the triode of the Borg.
-- Robert Casey


wrote:
Hi RATs!

"Flea Wattage" is the other end of the scale which is terminated by
"Krell Hell".

If you enjoy listening to Music, it doesn't matter where on the scale
the system playing is located. It is not a musical property. Music is
for sissies and fags and old geezers like me. Real macho web snipers
use meters to measure their orgasms. It is all meaningless bull****.
Either dig the tunes or suck your meter probes. This ain't some la-la
candyland. The engineering geeks couldn't find their soul with both
hands and a flashlight.

Happy Ears!
Al

P.S. Sigh

[Peter Wieck]

Bob H. wrote:

I think generalizing SE like that is a bit on the harsh side (no pun
intended).

A bit.

But flea-watters are not revealed religion either. Experimenters,
hobbyists and the curious are entitled to do as they please. One hopes
that they enjoy both the process and the results. And one hopes that
they share their experiences. The difference between "sharing" and
"prosyletizing" is substantial, which is my point.


Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA

[Bob H.]

But flea-watters are not revealed religion either. Experimenters,
hobbyists and the curious are entitled to do as they please. One hopes
that they enjoy both the process and the results. And one hopes that
they share their experiences. The difference between "sharing" and
"prosyletizing" is substantial, which is my point.


I agree. I also think the prosyletizers are a very small minority.
As I said, ALL DIY rules.

Bob H.

[[email protected]]

Andre Jute wrote:
wrote:

Music is for sissies and fags and old geezers like me.

And for a rollerblader with a few empty bottles and an urge to perform
Mozart. Will your mailbox accept a 1.1Mb wmv movie of the event, Al?
(Anyone else wants it, let me know within the next 24 hours so I can
make just one mailing.)

Andre Jute
Impedance is futile, you will be simulated into the triode of the Borg.
-- Robert Casey


wrote:
Hi RATs!

"Flea Wattage" is the other end of the scale which is terminated by
"Krell Hell".

If you enjoy listening to Music, it doesn't matter where on the scale
the system playing is located. It is not a musical property. Music is
for sissies and fags and old geezers like me. Real macho web snipers
use meters to measure their orgasms. It is all meaningless bull****.
Either dig the tunes or suck your meter probes. This ain't some la-la
candyland. The engineering geeks couldn't find their soul with both
hands and a flashlight.

Happy Ears!
Al

P.S. Sigh


Hi RATs!

My mailbox is always open to fun stuff.

I get more SPAM than the Army in Europe in WW II.


Happy Ears!
Al