[jchavner]

I am putting together a system for my wife's art studio which is a fairly large room. (30 feet x 60 feet with a 25 foot high ceiling).


At this point I am looking at a pair of the B&W 800 Diamonds and likely at least one of the B&W DB1 subs. I have my eye on the Classe CP-800 pre amp and my question is around the main power amp(s) used to drive the speakers.


Do I need more power for a larger room? If so should I opt for a pair of the Classe CA-M600's (600 watts each) or would the Classe CA-2300 (2 x 300 watts) suffice.


Main audio input will be from an Apple mac mini system connected via the rear USB on the CP-800.


Thanks in advance for all input.

 

[commsysman]

Spending that kind of money on such a set of loudspeakers seems ill-advised to me, since there is no way you are going to be able to do much with the acoustics in that barn, unless you want to spend a million dollars or so on rebuilding the interior. Those speakers were never designed or intended for that sort of application, in any case.


The 300-watt amplifier should be quite adequate.


A pair of Klipsch La Scala speakers will work much better in a space that large; their design and efficiency will give excellent results. they are designed for the sort of situation you have there; the B & W 800 are not.


If you want low bass in there, you will certainly need at least two very large very powerfiul subwoofers with the La Scala speakers.


IF you could put them in two of the corners of the room, a pair of the Klipschorn corner horn speakers would be perfect. They have incredible low bass and and efficiency ( over 100 db per watt) and would completely eliminate the need for subwoofers. They include an integral subwoofer as part of the basic design. I would certainly use those if the room setup will allow it.


When I was in high school, I built ONE of the Klipsch corner horn speakers ( they sold kits then) and used it to DJ a school dance. I was driving it with a mono 40-watt tube amplifier, and with 400 people in a large hall (MUCH larger than yours) the bass and volume were so intense that people were complaining that it was making them sick, and I had to back it off.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jchavner  /t/1418281/how-much-power#post_22181996


I am putting together a system for my wife's art studio which is a fairly large room. (30 feet x 60 feet with a 25 foot high ceiling).

At this point I am looking at a pair of the B&W 800 Diamonds and likely at least one of the B&W DB1 subs. I have my eye on the Classe CP-800 pre amp and my question is around the main power amp(s) used to drive the speakers.

Do I need more power for a larger room? If so should I opt for a pair of the Classe CA-M600's (600 watts each) or would the Classe CA-2300 (2 x 300 watts) suffice.

Main audio input will be from an Apple mac mini system connected via the rear USB on the CP-800.

Thanks in advance for all input.

 

[coytee]

To build on what Commsysman said, if you have the appropriate budget, you can look into the Klipsch cinema lineup and get something like the Jubilee which was originally intended to replace the Klipschorn as the Klipschorn II.


This next statement might sound outlandish, especially if this is in your home (as contrasted with a barn

) but I know of several people who have the Klipsch "MWM" speakers in their home. One is in his basement, another is in his living room.


Nice thing about the MWM bass bins is if you can find them, you can usually get them for a fraction of what some new stuff will cost and, since they are so big (about 7 1/2' wide), their sound is incredible. Absolutely effortless sound.


I don't pretend to think you would ever entertain that type idea, I'm just throwing it out to make you think outside the box. I currently have a pair of MWM (single height) bass bins in my apartments 2'nd bedroom for storage. I'm debating on pulling them out just to get them working in the living room.


I'd have to pull the Jubilee's down to do this but, hey... it's all fun and why have them if you're not going to use them!!


MWM's in a space like yours is overkill. MWM's in an apartment....well... is simply absurd.

(however, they will still play just as soft / quiet as a pair of (enter more appropriate speaker))

 

[coytee]

Here is a double height MWM bass bin with the K402 horn on top. My MWM bass bins are 1/2 height and are made to be more portable so they stack them as two singles instead of a 300 pound double height.


(pictured unit has two 15" drivers above/below each other, my half heights have a single 15" until I stack them to look like this)

 

[wse]



Quote:
Originally Posted by jchavner  /t/1418281/how-much-power#post_22181996


I am putting together a system for my wife's art studio which is a fairly large room. (30 feet x 60 feet with a 25 foot high ceiling).  At this point I am looking at a pair of the B&W 800 Diamonds and likely at least one of the B&W DB1 subs. I have my eye on the Classe CP-800 pre amp and my question is around the main power amp(s) used to drive the speakers.


Do I need more power for a larger room? If so should I opt for a pair of the Classe CA-M600's (600 watts each) or would the Classe CA-2300 (2 x 300 watts) suffice.  Main audio input will be from an Apple mac mini system connected via the rear USB on the CP-800.  Thanks in advance for all input.

 

Go for it they sound fantastic, no matter the size of your room if anything they love to play loud  

 

Are you planning to Bi-Amp the 800Diamonds ?