How much power required to drive 85dB speaker?

Speaker Asylum

General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

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Am presently running a pair of 85db / 6 ohm nominal (4 ohm min) rated Dali Grand Coupe bookshelf speakers horizontally biamped off of the Marantz PM17 integrated and SM17 power amp - both rated 60W into 8 ohm.
Dali recommends an amp of 50-250W power rating for these.
Am currently considering getting a pair of more powerful power amps to run these - once again in a horizontal biamped configuration but making the PM17 just a pre-amp.
Have read that these Dali are power hungry speakers but am not sure whether I will really hear a significant improvement for the outlay?
1. How much power do I really need to drive these properly?
I don't listen at obscenely high volume levels but like to listen loud on occasion.
2. Is it worth the expense - am considering Rotel either 120W or 200W into 8ohm power amps.
Cheers.
PS: I am using a pair of Monitor Audio subwoofers (one one either channel) each with 2 x 10" drivers to support the low frequencies on either side - so it is not as though I am short on low bass.

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Topic - How much power required to drive 85dB speaker? - Tagore 02:48:07 10/14/05 (5)

Re: How much power required to drive 85dB speaker? - STUART 12:54:51 10/14/05 (0)

How many sound pressure you need?. nt. - ramallo 04:28:38 10/14/05 (3)

Guess I want to have an amp that can control the speakers easily - Tagore 05:50:36 10/14/05 (2)

Re: Guess I want to have an amp that can control the speakers easily - ramallo 07:01:31 10/14/05 (0)

Re: Guess I want to have an amp that can control the speakers easily - MusicLover 06:16:35 10/14/05 (0)

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