Soliciting input from Moderator and all other Triton pundits.

Based on the user manual for the T 2, 2+, 1 and Ref, in each case the amplification *MINIMUM* rating is 20 watts!!!!!

Let's think about this for a moment. In the case of the T Ref, with an efficiency of 93.5 db, the minimum wattage recommendation would roughly put the noise/music level at 106 db.

That said, I happen to wholeheartedly agree that mid 80's and above db are necessary for (almost or wanna be) "realistic" imaging. I have flat screen television between my T Ref's (about 1 inch set back from the drivers) and believe it does interfere in some way with the center imaging, however, the more I raise the volume, the less of a factor the "obstacles" between the speakers appear (or disappear?).

Thoughts? (Again, with an eye toward cranking the volume to the minimum wattage recommendation so as to allow the speakers to work their magic)

@Moderator -

I imagine the minimum amplification power rating is also rooted in wanting to avoid clipping. For instance, the 20 amp recommended minimum power (in the case of the T Ref) doesn't necessarily mean to *play* no lower than that volume (power). It likely means it's fine to play at 1 watt, but you need 19 watts in reserve to handle the peaks and avoid clipping.

Nevertheless, can you chime in please on what Golden Ear considers to be a recommended minimum wattage to cause the speakers to "sound their best", irrespective of clipping and other variables?

Thanks.

GDHAL wrote: @Moderator -

I imagine the minimum amplification power rating is also rooted in wanting to avoid clipping. For instance, the 20 amp recommended minimum power (in the case of the T Ref) doesn't necessarily mean to *play* no lower than that volume (power). It likely means it's fine to play at 1 watt, but you need 19 watts in reserve to handle the peaks and avoid clipping.

Nevertheless, can you chime in please on what Golden Ear considers to be a recommended minimum wattage to cause the speakers to "sound their best", irrespective of clipping and other variables?

Thanks.

I'm always one to chime in...

I agree with your thinking on minimum wattage. You really do want an amplifier that won't clip when things really get going.

On volume level, the speakers should be linear in their behavior, and I think the "sounding best" is more a function of your hearing than the speakers themselves. Also, every room is different, in size, reverb time, and reflective coloration. All of these are going to affect what you hear at a particular power output. So it looks to me like it's really what sounds best for you.

Charlie

One more thing on amp power. I went from 200 Wpc (8 ohm) to 300 Wpc, and I heard a distinct difference. The speakers have more -- what I call -- SNAP. Transient things like drum strikes just sound way better. I would much rather have a good high power amp than a low, 25 Wpc amp that can't really keep up.

Charlie

Hi Charlie. Always nice to read from you! In your case of going from 200 wpc to 300, in all likelihood this was an entirely different amp. So the differences you’re detecting may not necessarily be a result of the increased wattage capacity.

In general I agree with you that more power is better. However, I’ve heard quite a few tube amps that are rated at or below 25 wpc and they sound terrific. Granted the rest of the system was “hi-end”.

Pass labs makes a class A 30wpc amp I’ve had my eye on. With the efficiency of the Triton’s, even 30 wpc would be ample to get to around 105 db without clipping, and that is plenty loud. Nearly rock concert level in fact if played at that decibel level in a typical small room.

As to the sounding best being more a function of hearing than the speakers and the fact that the room variables play a tremendous part, certainly there is truth in that. Still, I’d have to imagine that with speakers the size of the T Ref’s (cabinets and drivers) that they do need some minimum wattage to show their potential. I’m merely looking to understand what that might be.
While a watt can produce low 90 decibel levels, depending for instance on how far apart one has the speakers set up, the center image at that wattage may or may not be “enough”. My speakers are 7 feet apart and unfortunately I have little or no choice but to place a flat screen between them. I’m finding that I need to crank at least a watt to get the center image I desire. Even so, in my case I’d likely get better imaging if the flat screen were removed. So while additional wattage overcomes the flat screen obstacle to some extent, it could also be the case that at 7 feet apart one really should drive them with 2, 3 or even more watts.

There has to be a minimum wattage where anything less than that number - although audible - just doesn't allow the drivers to operate optimally.

GDHAL wrote: @Moderator -

I imagine the minimum amplification power rating is also rooted in wanting to avoid clipping. For instance, the 20 amp recommended minimum power (in the case of the T Ref) doesn't necessarily mean to *play* no lower than that volume (power). It likely means it's fine to play at 1 watt, but you need 19 watts in reserve to handle the peaks and avoid clipping.

Nevertheless, can you chime in please on what Golden Ear considers to be a recommended minimum wattage to cause the speakers to "sound their best", irrespective of clipping and other variables?

Thanks.

The minimum power spec is our way of saying that they can be used with low power SET amplifiers and Class A solid state amplifiers. Much of the reason for this is the high efficiency of the HVFR tweeter plus the built in bass amplifiers. And, as you know, a 20 watt RMS amplifier is likely capable of delivering transient peaks up to 80 watts.

So, the right answer goes to the same thing it always goes to: how loud and how big a room. Volume falls off exponentially with distance, and power requirements go up exponentially with volume. Therein lies the devil in the details. One of my favorite audio memories was going to Harry Pearson's house in Sea Cliff, NY to hear a piece of gear the company I was with had sent to him for review. He was playing it on the Infinity IRS system (four massive eight foot columns) surely capable of volumes to curl your toes. When I was directed to sit down and listen, he dialed it up to barely audible. At first I thought he was just preparing the system or track for me to hear, but no, that's how loud he liked to listen to his review system. For some reason he was never a big fan of big wattage power amps ....

Me, on the other hand, I look at amplifier power like car horsepower, when I hit the gas (volume) I want that thing to GO !! No such thing as too much.

When you listen at realistic volumes, more power always means more detail/control, less distortion, more dynamics (IMPROVED SLAM , for the more basic result). Sandy loves his SET amps and Class A Pass Labs amps, and they do sound superb, but I like to drive my Tritons with BIG power. And I would never suggest less than 100w/channel for an AV Receiver in a GoldenEar home theater setup.