XR100 opinions

[solson]

first of all speakers are not the most important component in a system- the front end is I agree with Linn garbage in- garbage out get the best turntable you can afford

[62caddy]

Well I think it's fair to say the delta factor is likely to be greater with speakers than with most modern electronics generally.

Quite literally, speakers are the final word.

Regarding the topic at hand - it has been some years since I demoed the XR100 at Audio Classics and found it an outstanding performer but at its price point, I think there is better to be had. More recently I heard a pair of Polk LSiM707 which I feel would give the XR100 a serious run for the money for 1/5th the cost.

One man's opinion.

[Bahg]

It's my 50th birthday and I'm treating myself to a full blown system. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[alkizz]

@Ankkor - There's a few speaker options in the for sale section here at AA that in my opinion are better than the XLR's around the same price point.

[W9TR]

Bahg,
Go to a bunch of different dealers and listen to as much stuff as you can and use your own ears to decide what’s right for you. There are a lot of variables, so bring some music with you on a memory stick and a CD. The hunt is half the fun.

[Bahg]

Should the amp watts and speaker watts match, so if I buy and amp with 450 watts, does that mean if I get speakers that go up to 350 watts, I'm just wasting wattage and money. So is my logic buy at 450 watt amp and get 450 watt speakers? correct.

help-a-newbie.

[Vmax]

Originally Posted by Bahg

Should the amp watts and speaker watts match, so if I buy and amp with 450 watts, does that mean if I get speakers that go up to 350 watts, I'm just wasting wattage and money. So is my logic buy at 450 watt amp and get 450 watt speakers? correct.

help-a-newbie.

Depends on the headroom the amp has at peak power over continuous rating. Plus depends on the drivers in the speakers and whether they compress. A Mcintosh amp with power guard continuous compreses a signal .

Find out if the speakers you want are compression drivers and their peaks.

Use a power calculator and speaker efficiency, your listening distance to be able to calculate 110 dB peaks if your wanting to simulate a live performance on occasion to handle dynamics. Some say choose an amp capable of giving 10dB of over power you would listen at especially if you listen to classical orchestra.

3 db is a doubling of the wats you listen at.

My McIntosh speakers handle 1200 continuous watts. My amps can output 1000 continuous, 1600 plus and 2K per channel full peak power with full powerguard. Yes I have been there once. But the amps have no issues Driving speakers to 110 plus peaks effortlessly. No power guard or speaker compression. There are lots of variables such as lively rooms that can also push up SPL.

[PHC1]

Originally Posted by Bahg

Should the amp watts and speaker watts match, so if I buy and amp with 450 watts, does that mean if I get speakers that go up to 350 watts, I'm just wasting wattage and money. So is my logic buy at 450 watt amp and get 450 watt speakers? correct.

help-a-newbie.

Optimally you always want an amp with more power than the max handling of the speakers. It is not the dynamic peaks of music transients that can kill the speaker, many speakers can dissipate much more short bursts of wattage/power than they are rated for. It is the "clipping" or the amplifier reaching the limit of the dynamic headroom and sending a flat DC signal of some amplitude that will fry the speaker drivers if the amplifier does not have protection such as the McIntosh Power Guard. The following diagram should make more sense.

[mati1979]

Canton Reference 7k

[Vmax]

Originally Posted by PHC1

Optimally you always want an amp with more power than the max handling of the speakers. It is not the dynamic peaks of music transients that can kill the speaker, many speakers can dissipate much more short bursts of wattage/power than they are rated for. It is the "clipping" or the amplifier reaching the limit of the dynamic headroom and sending a flat DC signal of some amplitude that will fry the speaker drivers if the amplifier does not have protection such as the McIntosh Power Guard. The following diagram should make more sense.

Yes heat from signsl cliipping is what kills most tweeters over driving the amp. It is also possible to blow woofers, mids and tweeters by overheating them with two much power for long periods and not clip if it is sustained.

If your getting a McIntosh amp most since the 80s have power guard which compresses signal. You cannot hear compression if your light flashes momentarily, full flashing all the time it is apparent and your amp does not have capacity for speakers to sound i best. Know whether the manufacturer of speakers rates for continuous or peak power. Then use a powr calculator based on efficiency of speaker, distance and desired SPL.

The real match is how it sounds. Ported speakers and amp dampening factors over 200 will control woofers better and cure flabby bass more than power. I prefer highly damped non ported speakers and no sub.