Originally Posted by
Lenton58
Not really. The salient factor is the required power for the speaker design so that transient frequencies are neither clipped nor distorted. This monster Pioneer receiver came out during the so-called power wars that coincided with very inefficient, sealed cabinet designs. It still may have been a bit extravagant. These days, many speaker designs are rather different and require far less power. The advent of chip amps is very much encouraging this. Many people mistake power as an an indication of maximum loudness or sound pressure. Low powered amps coupled with efficient speaker designs can be extremely loud with minimal distortion and no clipping.
Yep, my friend has a < 10 wpc single ended tube amp running in Class A powering very efficient Klipsch La Scala's and there is plenty of volume, and of course it sounds wonderful. He sold me a 1963 Scott LK72 int. tube amp. (35 wpc) converted to 6L6 power tubes which I have hooked up in my workshop, I will never sell this amp. Gives me extra incentive to do projects down there, as I listen to the mellow sound of the tubes.