Powerful Enough for 91db Speakers

[gabriel]

I'm considering these mono blocks for a pair of 91db speakers I have (Devore Fidelity Super 9).  I'm torn between these and the Kaiju 300B.  My thinking is that both amps are borderline for the power/sensitivity ratio, but if I get it wrong with the Kaiju I can just buy another one and run them as safely powerful enough mono blocks.  I don't really have an escape hatch with the MonAmours.

Any thoughts on this?  Am I right that my speakers are borderline too insensitive for these amplifiers?  Is there some path towards increased power if it turns out I need a little more from the MonAmours?

 

[Alonzo]

Am I right that my speakers are borderline too insensitive for these amplifiers? 

Which one?  I haven't heard the MonAmours but I have a Kaiju and while working on my horns have run them into Magnepan MMG's which are 86db only with a good tailwind and a push down the hill.  There was no problem with the lower sensitivity or the impedance.  After a day of playing (loud) they were used at backyard bbq levels.  Still no problem with amp/speakers/volume.

So take the info with a grain of salt.  They will play loud, all depends on the music and your perception, my bass head son thinks my system is bass shy.  I don't think so, but he likes to shake the walls to distortion.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

How big is your room?  Do you know how loudly you listen?

I believe you'd have plenty of power with either amp.

 

[gabriel]

Thank you for the replies.  I don't listen very loudly.  Usually the volume is such that two people sitting next to each other can comfortably hold a conversation.  Sometimes I'll play a bit louder than that.  The room I listen in now is about 15' x 20'.  Sorry if I wasn't clear earlier that my preference was for the mono-blocks.  I'm hoping they are suitably powerful.  It sounds like they are.

I don't really trust iPhone db meter apps, but using one and measuring up to 90db I found it uncomfortably loud.

Last question.  It's not obvious to me if the price listed for the MonAmour is for a single amplifier or for a pair.  Anyone happen to know?

 

[jjvornov]

It's for the two mono blocks. Just finally got mine built.

I always add that my experience with the SETs is that speaker load matters in addition to sensitivity. Some of my speakers just don't work because they present a difficult load with dips in impedance. Others with the same sensitivity but easy loads sound great. the Devore line looks like a relatively benign load, so I expect it will sound great up to pretty loud volumes.

The MonAmours and Kaiju are pretty different sounding amps in my listening so far, I think due to the well known difference between 300B and 2A3 tube sounds. Since power output is kind of comparable between the two, I think that's the biggest factor in choosing.

 

[Paul Birkeland]

Yeah, 90dB, even if you're 2M away and the app is off a bit is attainable with MonAmours.