Hi Audible,Originally Posted by audibleconnoisseur
I think you are missing the point I have been trying to make... If the 2807 sounded better, that is one thing. The fact that it played "louder" at -15dB on the volume contol means absolutely nothing. Current (amperes) is a function of voltage and impedance. If neither receiver was approaching the limits of their current capabilities (and I am sure they were not) -- if they were both delivering the same amount of voltage into the same loudspeakers, they were both producing the same amount of current (for ANY amp / receiver). If one receiver was louder than another at the same volume control level, that receiver was delivering higher voltage, meaning that receiver has higher gain and because of the higher voltages, would be producing more current.
Voltage = how loud it is.
Current = how load it CAN get and how much headroom.
You can not audibly determine how much headroom an amplifier has unless you are listening at a loud enough level where there is audible clipping or compression. At the same output level (not volume control setting) into the exact same loudspeakers (must be the same impedance) if one amp begins to distort and sound compressed while the other still sounds clean, the cleaner sounding amp has more headroom === more current capability === more "power". This procedure is the only possible way to make this generalization without taking measurements.
I believe you are confusing gain (voltage) with power... Please read my examples again.. I have explained the concept as clearly as I am able -- difficult for me to put concepts to words sometimes..
I think perhaps you are assuming that the overall volume of the system will keep increasing as the volume control knob gets higher and higher... It won't, you will hit the maximum current capability of your receiver well before you "turn it all the way up"---- Think of the accelerator pedal on a car example.... the speed of the car in reference to the position of the accelerator pedal = gain (amount of voltage being delivered). It is completely unrelated to what the top speed of the car is or how fast the car can accelerate (power).
If you test drove 2 cars -- car 1, you pushed the accelerator down 1/4 and went 50mph -- car 2, you pushed the accelerator down 1/4 and went 30mph... In your example, you would be assuming car 1 has a faster top end speed. You can't draw that conclusion from this premise... At least in an older car, all I would need is a wrench and pliers to make car 2 go 80mph or 10mph at ¼ pedal position. In a receiver, a soldering iron and a few resistor changes – in a car, my “modification” has no affect on the capability of the engine -- in a receiver, my modification has no affect on the capability of the power supply. Hey – this is a good example, I think?
Perhaps someone else can explain it better? Where is LeeBailey when you need him
AleksB - you get it