87 dB @ 1W @ 1m @ 1 kHz
4 ohms / 2.60 ohms minimum @ 135 Hz
These are the advertised specs of my speakers.
I drive them with monoblocks that are rated at 200 watts @4 ohms.
Just for curiosity, I hooked up my 2.3 watt Decware tube amp.
Running thru my preamp, I started at zero and brought the volume up very slowly. Low power distortion kills speakers more than higher power.
Right now, the sound is glorious. My decibel meter is reading average 65 dB, max 69-ish. The bass is preposterous–for what this is. I love stuff like this.
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That’s just plain cool 
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Goes to show, it’s the first few watts that count.
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@RonP just listen 3 feet from your speakers and that Decware amp should about blow back your hair. My Bottlehead Stereomour II (3.5W/channel) drives my Madisound speakers to uncomfortably loud volumes in the bedroom system with little distortion noticed and “glorious sound” for me too.
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My spl meter and I were in my listening chair and very comfortable at around 70 dB.
I’m not much of a loud music guy. Even with my big amps, I rarely listen beyond mid 70’s.
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I’m pretty much in the same decibel range Ron and I love my Decware SE84UFO3 mono blocks (with the 25th Anniversary mods) so much that I don’t entertain any other amplifiers for my main system. I’m done as far as amplification goes–they drive my 92 db HR-1 speakers from Decware very very well.
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Same here. 80db just seems too loud to me. Peaks are ok there but not continuous SPL.
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Literally exactly what I thinking as I was reading. Why is this crap so cool!
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70dB is the most frequently quoted listening level. When calculating the headroom required I generally base it on the European Broadcasting standard that average signal level be -23dB below full scale (the American equivalent is -24dBFS; I think they had a Texan on the committee!). To power speakers of the efficiency you quote at 70dB in a medium room would require 15-20Wpc, but that is allowing for a 93dB peak. Since your peaks are less than 70dB an amp of a little under 1Wpc would work well. Your 2.3W amp is overkill 
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My speakers are good for 92db. I will have to try a tube amp. I have a friend who has thirty to choose from. He likes to share. Could be dangerous though.
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30 tube amps sounds extreme, or is that the speakers? 
I 100% agree. I like it when appropriate to be somewhere between able to carry on a conversation and just loud enough where you can’t easily chat. Beyond that, it’s uncomfortable to listen for even a few minutes.
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He collects them and displays them in his audio room. He has a wonderful collection of speakers, amps, guitars etc.
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That’s gotta be cool to see. Do they all work?
I believe they do.
That’s fantastic. I’d love to see the entire room lit up. That would be a sight.
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Oh he doesn’t have 30 plugged in and glowing. He has very nice shelves that displayed the not power connected amps.
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I would be so very tempted to wire the room to light them all up. I am sure the power meter would spin it’s way to a heavenly bill.
Tubes need time to rest as they are getting more expensive and harder to find. Having them on for their warm glow is extravagant beyond good sense.
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OK, normally I’d agree. But coming from you…well I may need a few minutes to reflect.
Extravagant…hmmmmm…does anyone here also wonder if Al knows the meaning of the word?
You know you left the door way to wide open, I couldn’t resist.
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