4333A enough amp to power them?

[fotodan]

I am thinking of purchasing a pair of 4333A's, and selling my L100's (vertical lined drivers) and my 4311B's. I am wondering if my amp will have enough power to run the 4333A's. I have a Kenwood KA9100 rated at 95 watts RMS per channel at 8 ohmns. Would this work okay or would another power amp be needed. Thanks,
Dan

[hjames]

I am thinking of purchasing a pair of 4333A's, and selling my L100's (vertical lined drivers) and my 4311B's. I am wondering if my amp will have enough power to run the 4333A's. I have a Kenwood KA9100 rated at 95 watts RMS per channel at 8 ohms. Would this work okay or would another power amp be needed. Thanks,
Dan

I run a pair of 4320s (with 2405 slots, so they are close to 4333s) with 120 w/ch (thats not enough of an increase above 95w/ch to matter).
It really will depend on the size of your listening space, room treatment, and the kind of levels you like to run. Sounds fine to me with rock/pop/classical/jazz. 95 watts ought to be fine if you like the sound quality of the amp.

You need to go well above 200w/ch to gain significant headroom over what you have (double the power is only 3db).

[fotodan]

Thanks Heather, I usually run between 1 to 30 watts off meters on amp (depending on occasion). I am hoping the sound will be improved, I know it will be different then I am accustomed to. I want to step up to a better range of speaker. Any thing I will notice up front right away??

[Zilch]

Any thing I will notice up front right away??The artificial boom will be gone, traded for true extended bass, and the rising "forward" midrange, as well, though just a touch of that remains. The vertical soundfield will be narrower, so playing air guitar will be less pleasurable.

A major transition, actually; you'll be leaving adolescent listening behind. Consider throwing a wake to memorialize the event... :p

[speakerdave]

Most of my listening to 4333A was done with a 60 wpc tube amp, but when the mood to make noise struck me of an afternoon I switched to a 200 wpc solid state amp. That was enough to stir up the night nurses in the neighborhood.

David

[spwal]

you guys make me want to leave the low powered chipamp world and hit up a pair of halcros or something lol.

[Nightbrace]

fototdan<< the BEST amp I ever used with my L300's was a Nakamichi PA-7. If you are wanting to sell either of those speakers, let me know :). They respond BEST to a high wattage Class A power amp. Most Crown's will work fantastic. You can get by with the Kenwood for now, but there are MUCH better options for those speakers. What CD player or turntable are you using? That will make more of a difference than the amp. The Sony CDPC701ES I still have worked fantastic with these speakers, as will most Sony ES Cd players for the money.

[Nightbrace]

The artificial boom will be gone, traded for true extended bass, and the rising "forward" midrange, as well, though just a touch of that remains. The vertical soundfield will be narrower, so playing air guitar will be less pleasurable.

A major transition, actually; you'll be leaving adolescent listening behind. Consider throwing a wake to memorialize the event... :p

I couldn't explain the advantages of the L300/4333 more eloquently, score one for team Zilch!

[fotodan]

fototdan<< the BEST amp I ever used with my L300's was a Nakamichi PA-7. If you are wanting to sell either of those speakers, let me know :). They respond BEST to a high wattage Class A power amp. Most Crown's will work fantastic. You can get by with the Kenwood for now, but there are MUCH better options for those speakers. What CD player or turntable are you using? That will make more of a difference than the amp. The Sony CDPC701ES I still have worked fantastic with these speakers, as will most Sony ES Cd players for the money.


CD player is the TASCAM CD RW5000, I purchased from recording studio, turn table is custom I made, its a Pioneer PL-518, but I made a solid Mahogany plinth for it with Stanton 681 EEE cartridge. I also use Teac A7300 Reel to Reel. I am thinking about getting another amp to go in line with my kenwood, maybe Phase Linear 4000???

[Mr. Widget]

I am thinking of purchasing a pair of 4333A's, and selling my L100's (vertical lined drivers) and my 4311B's. I am wondering if my amp will have enough power to run the 4333A's...I don't understand the common notion that bigger speakers need larger amps... the 4333A and L300 are 2dB more efficient than the 4311 and L100s, so if everything else remains the same you would actually need less amplifier power. That said, the 4333A is a better speaker and it may showcase the fact that your electronics are not all that special. However, if you are content now, I'd expect you to be reasonably content with your new speakers being driven with this amp.


Widget

[fotodan]

I don't understand the common notion that bigger speakers need larger amps... the 4333A and L300 are 2dB more efficient than the 4311 and L100s, so if everything else remains the same you would actually need less amplifier power. That said, the 4333A is a better speaker and it may showcase the fact that your electronics are not all that special. However, if you are content now, I'd expect you to be reasonably content with your new speakers being driven with this amp.


Widget



That sounds real good to me..... My pocketbook likes that also:applaud:

[Nightbrace]

Irregardless of the power rating the Nakamichi sounded great, as did the Crown I tried, I was probably using only 10-25 watts at normal listening levels. Its not needed but its nice to have at least 75 watts of dynamic headroom for certain music. Class A is whats important with these speakers and DC circuitry. A Crown will sound just as good at 1 watt as it will at 100 watts..

[Nightbrace]

CD player is the TASCAM CD RW5000, I purchased from recording studio, turn table is custom I made, its a Pioneer PL-518, but I made a solid Mahogany plinth for it with Stanton 681 EEE cartridge. I also use Teac A7300 Reel to Reel. I am thinking about getting another amp to go in line with my kenwood, maybe Phase Linear 4000???

Try a Phase Linear 2000, no need for that little joystick thingy that the 4000 had. Funny you mention Phase Linear as my favorite "budget" Preamp was the Phase Linear 2000 I had.

CD player sounds good, those Tascams were VERY durable! I like the cartridge too, and the Teac! You got some good stuff back in the 70's I take it :). You'll be thrilled with the 4333A's with the Kenwood, but it may open your eyes to the inadequacies of your system.

Once you sell those small JBL's you'll have the money to upgrade :)/ Hopefully those 4333A's will grace your den for the next 30 years :).

[fotodan]

Try a Phase Linear 2000, no need for that little joystick thingy that the 4000 had. Funny you mention Phase Linear as my favorite "budget" Preamp was the Phase Linear 2000 I had.

CD player sounds good, those Tascams were VERY durable! I like the cartridge too, and the Teac! You got some good stuff back in the 70's I take it :). You'll be thrilled with the 4333A's with the Kenwood, but it may open your eyes to the inadequacies of your system.

Once you sell those small JBL's you'll have the money to upgrade :)/ Hopefully those 4333A's will grace your den for the next 30 years :).


Thats what I am counting on, I had the ones I have now for 30 years time to move on. The sad thing, when I bought my L100's back in 74, I also listened to the Summitt's and almost signed my name to them, but the person with me asked "How in the hell would you move those big bastards", so I bought the L100's instead. you might say I have regretted it ever since. The guy from JBL used a PL 4000 amp & premap, played Carley Simons "your so vain" album, cranked up 75% full power, with a nickel standing on its edge on top of the L100's, and thru the whole side of the album, the nickel never fell over. I carried that pair home with me that day, been smiling ever since..:D

[Zilch]

Since you don't need new gear, you can afford to keep the L100s.

Stack them in the closet for a year, then listen again and decide.

Here's a little forum secret: We've each and all got a pair stashed away.

[Some, multiple pair.... :thmbsup: ]

[fotodan]

Since you don't need new gear, you can afford to keep the L100s.

Stack them in the closet for a year, then listen again and decide.

Here's a little forum secret: We've each and all got a pair stashed away.

[Some, multiple pair.... :thmbsup: ]



:applaud: :applaud:

[spwal]

im using my aleph jr clone 12-15 wpc into 8 with my M19s. They couldnt be happier

[spwal]

in response to the fact that i am running high efficiency speakers that dont need alot of power to sing.

[Nightbrace]

in response to the fact that i am running high efficiency speakers that dont need alot of power to sing.

Your Altec's are nowhere close to these speakers efficiency wise, but we get the idea :).

[spwal]

I don't understand the common notion that bigger speakers need larger amps... the 4333A and L300 are 2dB more efficient than the 4311 and L100s, so if everything else remains the same you would actually need less amplifier power. That said, the 4333A is a better speaker and it may showcase the fact that your electronics are not all that special. However, if you are content now, I'd expect you to be reasonably content with your new speakers being driven with this amp.


Widget


Heather, it was in response to this post. I was trying to stay on topic and concur with the knowledgeable widget. Just ment to say that 90+ db efficient speakers dont need gobs of power to fill up a room.

I used my 12-14 watt chipamp with my little and relatively inefficient Hereseys, not bad at all. Just need to turn the dial a little bit more.

[Zilch]

http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/altec/specs/home-systems/model-19/page2.jpg

http://www.lansingheritage.org/images/jbl/specs/pro-speakers/1977-4331-4333/page4.jpg

[salpe]

On my experience (I have a couple of 4333b) the point is not the maximum SPL. You can have lots of SPL even with 15 watt (try with an old pair of valve Quad II or with a Naim Nait: sonically a wonderful result with both). But if you want that Jbl 15'' bass (I mean that deep and fast bass) you need power.
I've tried in the past with a SAE 2400L and a McIntosh 2205 (200+200 w): a good result with SAE, a better result with MAC. Then a receiver (McIntosh 4100, 75+75 w): in this case bass was not completely under control. Today I use an old Audio Research D-110 (rated at 130+130 w but it's a real horse-work) and I like very much the way it controls the 4333: very deep and fast bass together with great details and overall definition.
I think that your Kenwood can be a good starting point: then later on you could move to something more powerful. Buy the 4333, and you'll never regret.

[SEAWOLF97]

The guy from JBL used a PL 4000 amp & premap, played Carley Simons "your so vain" album, cranked up 75% full power, with a nickel standing on its edge on top of the L100's, and thru the whole side of the album, the nickel never fell over. I carried that pair home with me that day, been smiling ever since..:D

sorry , I dont understand how the nickle trick sold you on these speakers ?

[fotodan]

sorry , I dont understand how the nickle trick sold you on these speakers ?


No distortion..... Hey I was only 18 years old then....:blink: