Varejao17
100+ Head-Fier
Well, the power should probably complement the Vidars, but the more important spec to match is the Gain of the amp. If the amp is of a different gain than the Vidars, then the sound volume won't match (e.g., the increase in perceived loudness for the main panels will not match the DWMs when you turn the volume knob up.)Thanks. A follow-up question; if I need a separate amp for the DWMs to spare the Vidars, is it a requirement that I use an amp that has the same power envelope as the Vidars, ie something at 400W@8ohm?
Gain is the voltage multiplier provided by the amp, usually expressed as dB. In other words, if you input 1V, gain will tell you how many volts will be generated at the speaker terminals.
The Vidar's gain is 27dB (or 22x), so you'd need to find another amp which provides that. If you find an amp with higher gain, then you'll need a way to reduce the signal slightly at the amp input (e.g. a SYS or similar just prior.) This is in addition to any volume control provided by a preamp or DAC.
Quad Vidars, maybe?
Alternately, if you're not wedded to the DWMs and are willing to look at powered subwoofers, most (all?) powered subwoofers have a gain control built in - but I'd understand the reluctance to go with something other than DWMs in this case.
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