Not really; the problem is that you only perceive it when you give speakers with that sensitivity and impedance load what they need, Watts of quality in quantity, and then… WOW…
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No. I’m afraid Watts are Watts are Watts. You may or may not like the sound of them. Anyway 250-2 gives 160W into 4 ohms. The Supernait 2 gives 156W into four ohms, 240W into one ohm. Both give around 16A peak output. Seems like either could fry a small speaker to me. And in reality if you are using more than 20 of them most of the time, I’d be surprised (and glad I don’t live next door).
My main concern would be that you are looking to drop £10k without knowing why. There seems to be an inbuilt assumption that more expensive is better, but you need to test that assumption.
I suggest you grab your speakers and record player go to good dealers and try a £10k record player and see if that floats your boat. Try a 250-2 or a Linn or Michi or whatever and see if that floats your boat.
If it were me, I’d a) look at sorting the record player if records were my thing. A P10, Linn or SME seem like good bets but you need to listen. Or b) get rid of the lot and get some active ATCs, their preamp and record player if that were my thing. or c) get rid of the lot and get some D&D 8cs or similar if the record player weren’t; my thing.
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I was almost sold on the idea of a Nu-Vista 600 but it would not fit onto my fitted (wall suspended) bookcase unless I could live with an overhang a bit like this canti-deck:
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So , following your logic, a 250 dr and Supernait 2 should drive the speakers the same, because they have both 80 W?
I was wondering the same.
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Not quite. If a Supernait 2 can’t drive them adequately then the 250-2 is unlikely to be better as they are both 80/160/250 what amplifiers with 16A of peak current.
All I’m actually trying to say is that:
a) not knowing what you are aiming to achieve; and
b) not setting about achieving the aim in a systematic way
is a good way to spend good money after bad. Going to a good dealer and having a ‘drains up’ discussion is likely to sort this out with the minimum spend. That may be a better record player, may be a different amplifier or different speakers. It may be none of the above and just a need for a good set-up. Who knows?
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And since you recommend active ATCs, it must be that at ATC they do not know what they are doing, because the ‘modest’ ATC SCM40A come out tri-amplified with 242W in 8 Ohms class A / B: 150W LF, 60W MF, 32W HF. Calculate the power at 4 Ohms and 2 Ohms…
It’s a shame; keep in mind that any quality amplifier with solvent power is going to tend to be large and heavy.
If it serves as an orientation, I myself spent two years with the same tribulation for not wanting to modify the configuration of the front furniture system, ‘it has to be one that fits in the dresser’, while Mrs newcomer said, like the voice of conscience; ‘with the money you have already spent, and you are limiting the degrees of freedom by a dresser that is worth but a tiny part of what you have already spent; get it right once and for all.’
Obviously, Mrs newcomer was right, once the approach was modified, everything was resolved very satisfactorily, as you can see in the pics above.
Good luck!
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If space is a problem , some class D integrated can drive very easily the A1. They take much less space. I found the Jeff Rowland Continuum , 250 or 500 W, particularly amazing.
But in any case that sort of things must be heard personally, at minimum at dealer place, with the same speakers.
FWIK and FYI, Magico developed the A1s with the Krell K-300i: high current, 2x150 W 8 ohms, 2x300 W 4 ohms, 438x104x462 mm (W x H x D), 18.2 kg in weight, and a base price of…, 9000 pounds!
Mrs newcomer is a voice of reason. And I can see from the pictures your solution, but out of interest, what was the problem before (any pictures just because?). I know it is not hugely interesting, but the room that experiences more vibrations than any other in the house has an awkward layout. It is about 5m square. One wall is a large window with internal shutters. The other a fireplace and books shelves, another consists of huge wooden doors which open into the next room, and the last wall, where I sit has a door in it. Suspended timber floors as well. I should probably give up. I’m going deaf anyway.
Good find, thanks. Not sure I’m convinced about the affiliation, or the amp. And you are right, I called into a hi-fi shop near Holland Park today (not where I live) to order a new phono cartridge and viewed the sort of amps you referred to and yes they are much bigger than I am used to, with the exception of the Mola Mola. Very compact, but beyond my budget. Smart though.
I have less than 300 LP’s when I was talking to someone about further upgrades on my turntable, they said is it worth it? I think so, but it would involve spending a lot of money. A new cartridge? A Houdini? My local dealer #cymbiosis is very helpful, and I have no hesitation in recommending them, Peter has done great upgrades to my turntable. I really don’t know. My CD’s are ripped and remain in storage, I use Roon along with a Tidal subscription
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Taking the last point first, the physical size of a speaker has no inevitable direct relationship with how easily ‘fried’ it may be. And too low a power amp is more likely to ‘fry’ a speaker than a high power one.
Meanwhile watts are not all when it comes to controlling speakers - as well as RMS power, the figure normally quoted, there is peak power capability, which with some amps is only twice the RMS capability, others may be up to perhaps 5 times the RMS. The ability to provide adequate power to handle peaks is a critical consideration for sound quality. Then there is ability to handle the lowest impedance (not average impedance) presented by the speaker - some amps are more capable into lower impedances than others, again not at all to do with quoted RMS into 8 ohms. In addition there is the output impedance of the amp, commonly expressed as ‘damping factor’, which also may be significant to the ability to control the speaker driver.
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Hi @djh1697 - how many LPs you have is not critical. of your favourite (say) 30 LPs, how many do you like to play on LP versus rips or Tidal? If it’s most of them, or would be most of them if only something was different, I think you have your answer on whether to spend money on your turntable. How old is your cartridge?
Mind you, if your LPs are like many of mine, the best upgrade available may be a record cleaning machine for all and replacement (non-ruined) copies of several records.
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Thanks. However, I do understand resistance and reactance, ohms law, equivalent peak dissipation resistance etc etc.
Glad to hear it - not everyone does. But I was responding to your implication that the power of an amp is the key consideration in controlling a speakers, and that a speaker more powerful than 80W is probably unnecessary and a risk to speakers.
Incidentally, whilst both the SN2 and 250 have the same average power rating, the 250 claims a peak power capability of 400VA - but I am unclear whether the SN2 is the same, as I have not seen that data published. And whether they have the same performance into low impedances, and same output impedance, is also something I don’t know - but perhaps you’ve seen that published somewhere, which may give better indication as to whether they are likely to be equally capable at controlling a speaker?
As an aside, your question to the OP as to deciding what s/he wants to achieve is pertinent, and yet to be clarified.
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Sorry, but your post doesn’t seem to be accorded to that knowledge
The response is in the hearing and experience of users too. A lot have connected a 250 dr to the Supernait and observed very clear improvements in sound quality and ability to drive some speakers.
But of course specs can explain too.