Vintage polk power requirements

cubdog
cubdog Posts: 835
edited February 2005 in Vintage Speakers
I have a need to buy some vintage Polks. My question concerns power requirements for the revered models. I would like something for both my HT and 2 channel setups. HT is powered by a Yamaha RX-V995 rated 100w per channel and the 2 channel uses a 1970's Sansui 2000a at 35w per. I am not sure what these receivers will drive. I was thinking I might be limited to monitor 10,7,or 5's but wonder if any SDA models would be a viable option. I can always add a 2 channel amp for the HT later if need be. What do you think?

cubdog
Shuguang Classic S8MK
Emotiva XDA-2
Bel Canto M300 mono blocks
Bel Canto DAC 1.5
Squeezebox Touch
Sony SS-M7
A/D/S L710
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Comments

  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited February 2005
    I run my Monitor 10's off of my JVC receiver, which is rated for 100wpc. That's a modern receiver. I have also run them off of an old Marantz receiver that I believe is rated around 35-45wpc. It did okay but got pretty darn warm.

    I'm currently looking at a setup with a 2 ch amp for the 10's, just to have the extra juice.

    For any type of SDA's other than maybe the bookshelf models, I would go with a separate amp. Not really that big of a price to pay for SDA goodness :)
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2005
    Cub - I would start with the vintage Monitor series for that amplification, and definetly go with the Sansui. You can certainly drive all of those choices, but I think you would get the most out of the Monitor line, specifically a pair of Mon7....and vintage Sansui would be very nice IMO.

    Vintage RCV's like the aformentioned Marantz and Sansui are often suprisingly robust and honestly powerful depending on the model, don't let new age "wisdom" fool you.

    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited February 2005
    i run a pair of Monitor 7's with a 45 watt integrated Yamaha amp from 1978 does fine. the meter says the 7's pull about 10 watts.
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
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  • nadams
    nadams Posts: 5,877
    edited February 2005
    Okay... I just looked it up and my Marantz is a 2220b, rated at 20wpc, 0.5% THD 10-50,000hz. It works just fine to drive the 10's that I have, but it's getting a little weak in its old age. I still like to hook it up every once and a while and let it run out a little. I'll probably do that tomorrow, actually.

    It's absolutely amazing what that 20wpc can do, it really is. And it sounds better, too... warmer, I think.

    However, I still use the newer 100wpc receiver to power them, just to make sure nothing blows during extended high-volume listening.
    Ludicrous gibs!
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited February 2005
    I run my Mon10's on 550wpc@6 but only the first 7wpc ClassA is all these things will ever see or need....the rest is useless for that speaker.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Polkersince85
    Polkersince85 Posts: 2,883
    edited February 2005
    I've run my Mon 10B's using vintage Pioneer SX1000tw and a Sansui 5000x. Both "rated" at 45wpc, (old school). The police will be at your door before you get them to the 3 o'clock position.
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  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited February 2005
    Yep, the wattage ratings don't mean a whole lot. A buddy at work has a set of Maggies which he runs on a pair of Mark Levinson amps the size of a truck battery. The wattage rating on the amps are only a measley 50wpc. But the amps have no problem running the power hungry Maggies.
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