Can NAD/Rotel drive Dynaudios/Quads?

[v0elker]

i bumped into two colleagues arguing about the above setup. colleague A wants to get the rotel rsx-1055 or rsx-1056 together with the dynaudio audience 52 or the quad 11l. he argues that since rotel/nad are high current amps (huh? what he saying?) the above receivers should be able to handle it.

 

colleague B advises against it and argues that since both speakers have sensitivity of 86db and impedance of 6ohms, they need beefy amps (150-200 at least) to really sing and that a/v receivers, even the ones from rotel/nad wont cut it.

 

being a newbie, im just wondering, which of them is right?

 

[Jag]

Well any amp even a 40W amp can drive any speaker, even Dynaudio. Just that it won't sound loud not have much impact.

A high power amplifier would be able to drive it loud and have lotsa reserve power to maintain those dynamically charged peaks.

 

So A is right that the above receiver can produce sounds fromt eh dynaudio.

 

But B is also right to say that hi-power amps can drive the dynaudios and make them sing better.

 

The difference between them is their benchmark for SQ, with A having a lower SQ standard than B.

[TOOL1624705741]

i bumped into two colleagues arguing about the above setup. colleague A wants to get the rotel rsx-1055 or rsx-1056 together with the dynaudio audience 52 or the quad 11l. he argues that since rotel/nad are high current amps (huh? what he saying?) the above receivers should be able to handle it.

 

colleague B advises against it and argues that since both speakers have sensitivity of 86db and impedance of 6ohms, they need beefy amps (150-200 at least) to really sing and that a/v receivers, even the ones from rotel/nad wont cut it.

 

being a newbie, im just wondering, which of them is right?

 

 

1. how loud you want to play?

 

2. how far are you sitting from the speakers?

 

3. how long (sustained) are those dynamic peaks?

 

The watts required can be calculated from the requirement of the first 2 points + the speaker nominal specs.

 

the 3rd point is a little tricky. This is where you 'separate the men from the boys'. how long can your amp supply the current to drive those speakers at that peak level?

 

If you're into large-scale orchestral music (just as an example), for a VERY good recording with minimal dynamic compression, give yourself 35-40db 'dynamic headroom' .. then with the Singporean mentality, add 20% :P

 

Not the the receivers cannot play that loud, but distortion would be heard and it would be up to the designer of the amp or receiver + the speakers to determine how 'pleasurable (no sarcasm at all.. distortion could be nice-sounding)' that distortion could be to your ears.

 

 

[domj]

Well any amp even a 40W amp can drive any speaker, even Dynaudio. Just that it won't sound loud not have much impact.

A high power amplifier would be able to drive it loud and have lotsa reserve power to maintain those dynamically charged peaks.

 

So A is right that the above receiver can produce sounds fromt eh dynaudio.

 

But B is also right to say that hi-power amps can drive the dynaudios and make them sing better.

 

The difference between them is their benchmark for SQ, with A having a lower SQ standard than B.

 

I have listened to an Audiolab 8000a driving the 42s. It shut off halfway when we turned the vol. to halfway. Below that the speakers never really opened up. All Audience series are 4ohms not 6ohms (except CS122), so it's a bit tough for low powered amps to drive unless you listen quite soft.

[TOOL1624705741]

I have listened to an Audiolab 8000a driving the 42s. It shut off halfway when we turned the vol. to halfway. Below that the speakers never really opened up. All Audience series are 4ohms not 6ohms (except CS122), so it's a bit tough for low powered amps to drive unless you listen quite soft.

 

holy moly! what's your 'halfway'?? For me, I had seldom need to go beyond 1/4 way when I was using the 8000A!

 

And it is possible that when you say the speakers "open up", they're on their way to serving up some 'tweeter tempura' for you man!

[domj]

I have listened to an Audiolab 8000a driving the 42s. It shut off halfway when we turned the vol. to halfway. Below that the speakers never really opened up. All Audience series are 4ohms not 6ohms (except CS122), so it's a bit tough for low powered amps to drive unless you listen quite soft.

 

holy moly! what's your 'halfway'?? For me, I had seldom need to go beyond 1/4 way when I was using the 8000A!

 

And it is possible that when you say the speakers "open up", they're on their way to serving up some 'tweeter tempura' for you man!

 

Halfway is ard 12o'clock i guess...come to think of it, it was a rather big room and it was struggling so maybe that's why the amp shut off.

[TOOL1624705741]

Halfway is ard 12o'clock i guess...come to think of it, it was a rather big room and it was struggling so maybe that's why the amp shut off.

 

mine's about 12ft x 11ft ..1/3 is already past 85dB nominal.. I guess yours' around 15ft square and beyond?

 

...and why use a A42 on a big room? borrowing ongus' analogy, u can't use bicycle tyres fitted onto mack trucks :)

[domj]

...and why use a A42 on a big room? borrowing ongus' analogy, u can't use bicycle tyres fitted onto mack trucks :)

 

Same question I posed to him, he upgraded soon after ;D