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Peter Wieck Peter Wieck is offline
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Default AR3a/AS103a speakers and the Heathkit AR1500 receiver

Jerry wrote:

My den is quite small and my normal listening level is less than 1 watt, but
occasionally I'll listen at levels higher.


Jerry:

There are a lot of misconception to do with "volume", and especially as
it relates to "watts".

At one watt average, with moderately dynamic source, you will need at
least a 100-watt amp to get clean peaks absolutely without clipping.
But you already know this. Put another way, a speaker with an 86dB @
1-watt SPL, a 30-watt amp simply will not cut it, even bi-amped at
anything above a very moderate volume. Agreed, mostly one listens at a
very moderate volume. But not always.

Components of the vintage of your Heath more-or-less send straight DC
into the speaker when driven to clipping. And depending on the source
(where, as it usually happens most of the signal is at the mid-range),
that could be a lot of the time and pretty rapidly fatal to your
speakers.

Again, put another way, it is (Very typical of vintage SS amps)
amplifiers of low power that burn speakers, not high power. Almost any
well-made speaker can handle normal signal at very high power, well
beyond their nominal ratings, for brief periods. Even the very best
conventional PM speakers will fry in short order when fed DC. I think
this is what the OP was trying to convey.

Those of us who dabble in tube equipment tend to ignore this simple
truth as output transformers will not pass DC, so clipping is much
softer and relatively harmless (to the speaker, that is). Also why
those of us who have high-powered amps (tube or SS) also tend to ignore
this as there is enough headroom in any case to minimize consequences
from clipping.

Bi-Amping, even as you have applied it will create some advantages if
very carefully managed. But the real-world difference between a 30 watt
amp and two 30-watt amps split is limited in this *particular*
application given that at any given moment about 75% of your signal
will be at/within the midrange, and if you include the tweeter, that
goes to about 90%, at least as it applies to the need for headroom. I
would very strongly suggest that you make it your mission in Audio to
beg, borrow or steal a well-made high-powered amplifier (200W/RMS/CH @
4 ohms or better) and re-evaluate your position.

Enjoy the results in any case.

Peter Wieck
Wyncote, PA