Again I want to point out when these came out there were probably less than 5 headphone amps that could drive them - so amps, integrateds, and receivers were essentialy the choice then
Even today all the HE-6's and Susvara are @ 83.5 db, which is good deal lower than just about any other planars. So, I think a mystic aura has built up around the amp thing.
100 WPC, 200 WPC !!! Ummm, rated at 8 or 4 ohms. I have the first dual purpose headphone XLR / speaker integrated - the Ragnarok 1. 100 wpc into 4 ohms and 10 into 50 ohms. That's pretty good scaling. Your basic mega buck Krell would scale better, most would scale less.
So, how many receivers are designed, tested, and rated at 50 ohms? I've seen piles of specs and never seen a number claimed at that load.
A piece from say 1992 rated at 100 wpc at 4 ohms is liable to be over 4 wpc at 50 ohms.
But from 1978? Assuming the power supply, protection circuitry, and leaky caps do the job - 6 wpc, 2 wpc, or an explosion
?
I have the SE-6 SE rated at 83.5 db (and indeed very very close to th. Same efficiency of the 6 screw I was lent). I never get out of gain 2 on my Rag 1 which is 10.7 db less max output than Gain 3. And I'm at least 3-4 db under that max. So what is 14.2 db under 10 wpc?
There is no need for over 5 wpc @ 50 db no matter how badly one wants to fry their hearing. Unless you are handy with a multimeter and soldering in tight spaces or a collector of vintage pieces - consider that a Jot 2 using the balanced XLR out or the Lyr+ using either output are more than enough, will likely last 30+ years, and will by my estimate drive them better than than your average class AB receiver/integrated amp/separates.
Class A ( and A w/ sliding buas), from an amp designed for 38, 50, or 600 ohms without putting some discrete piece in the way to "match" the load.
Rag 1 - used probably can find them under $800 now or the new Lyr+.
I know some will adhere to their Luxman, Sansui, Kenwood, stuff and that's fine. But if you are buying now - then look at the wide array of amps available and get a killer DAC to go with it