[karlsaudio]

Here is the deal. I have been running bookshelf speakers of various sizes and brands for a long time. The last ones I have been using are Polk Monitor 40s. Today I picked up a used pair of Infinity SL50s. 92 dB sensitivity. My first "towers". Great deal. Anyway, I am finding myself having to turn the volume way up past where I was comfortable with the bookshelves to get the same room filling sound. My reciever is a Denon 1802 rated at 80 wpc. How much higher in wattage will I have to go to notice a big difference in volume? Do I really need to double my wattage per channel to get a 3 dB increase in volume?


Thanks

 

[MichaelJHuman]

Yes, you really need to double power for a 3 dB SPL increase.

 

[jdsmoothie]

Those SL50's are 3db more efficient than the Monitor 40's so shouldn't require more power. Do you have them set to SMALL with an 80hz crossover just as you likely had the Monitor 40's set?

 

[karlsaudio]

Nope. I set them to large and was running in 2.0 mode. Speaker wire right now is 16 AWG if that makes any difference. Only about 4 feet in length. I will be going to 14 AWG in the near future.

 

[Audiodork]

Hello,

Often, rated Sensitivity and actual Sensitivity are not the same. For the most part when a Speaker is Bench Tested, the Speaker is usually less sensitive than what the Manufacturer specifies. Have you run test tones and level matched your new Speakers?


Towers are often more difficult to drive than Bookshelves. I would not be too worried about the level being higher on your Denon so long as it is not clipping or going into thermal protection.


Unfortunately, I do not believe the Denon you own has preamp outputs for adding an Amplifier. If you were having issues with clipping or shutdown, adding a 2 channel amplifier would have been a easy solution.

Cheers,

AD

 

[MichaelJHuman]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Audiodork /forum/post/18251824


Hello,

Often, rated Sensitivity and actual Sensitivity are not the same.

Isn't it pretty common to use projected in room numbers, rather than anechoic? Not sure how that works with real world rooms, etc.

 

[karlsaudio]

Well, fortunately, I don't listen to music THAT loud. I A/Bed the SL20s to the SL50s and, if I have the volume at -16 with the 20s, I have to have it at about -12 for the same percieved volume level with the 50s.

And no. no pre outs on the 1802.

I think I will be fine.

 

[karlsaudio]

Stupid me. Yes, my 1802 has pre outs for front, center and sub. None for surround however.