Hello. This may be a stupid question but I still have much to learn when it comes to external amplifiers. I have just purchased a Supercenter X to go along with my Aon 3's up front. The X is rated up to 200 watts. On a local online auction there is a Monolith 5 x 200 amp that is normally around $1200 but at the moment is only $5. I can't pass this one up. Should I worry about the 200 watt rating. I've done slight reading on amplification and i saw something about peaks and surges? I apologize for my ignorance but any advice would be great! I appreciate it.

No need for apology. The short answer, without making this more complicated than it needs to be is power is a good thing and you can never have too much. Power, as I’m sure many will chime in on is sometimes an elusive and misunderstood component of our addiction (I mean hobby). Power (assuming Apples to Apples, which is an entirely different topic) isn’t going to necessarily translate to greater overall volume as it is lower distortion, tighter bass, faster transient response, and more control at the same or similar volume levels. Better sound. You have ultimate control over the system with the volume control and your ears will tell you when your reaching the limits of either the speakers, the amp, or both. If it doesn’t sound right, it’s probably not.

Distortion is our mortal enemy and is more often than not what damages speakers.

Yup...couldn't agree more with the Moderator Dude. One can never have to much power. And as he states, distortion is the enemy.

One area where he is totally and completely wrong is his suggestion that "All things Stereo" is a hobby...Wrong! It is An Addiction!!

$5 dollars for a 5 channel amp...sounds like a dream come true. Just hope it works.

This is a great reply. I really appreciate it. Auction closes tomorrow and it is still only at $65. It's gotten good reviews so I'll go for it. Much appreciated and take care!

It certainly is an addiction. Just wish I was rich enough to feed that addiction fully. Haha. The auction site I use is really good. The amp is $1700 and it ended up going for $515. The night before it was $65. You win some and then lose some. There will be more in the future so I'll keep my eye on it. I did get a $1200 Yamaha receiver for $200 about a month ago. So that was a nice win. I've seen $10,000 KEF speakers on there go for $700. It's pretty cool. Maybe i'll get lucky and see some awesome Goldenear speakers on there to expand my setup!