My replacement Kappa 62.ix speakers arrived (old Kappa 62.lls had a bad connection). I installed them and used my new to me B52 amp. With everything flat and gain turned all the way down, I popped in a CD and started turning up the volume until I heard distortion, unfortunately there was no distortion, speakers sounded fine all the way up to max (35). So I turned the volume down to 2/3 (27) and started turning up the gain. Got up to about 2 or 3 o'clock, got scared, man was it loud, sounded great, but no distortion. Shut unit off, disconnected speakers, popped in 1Khz test tone and used my DIMM to see where I was at, I was a little over 25 volts, (250 watts) so I turned it down and did the calculation with what the speaker was rated at, 75 watts at 2.5 Ohms. I came up with 13.69 volts which I thought was a little anemic. So going by ear didn't work, and doing the voltage calculation with the speaker rating seemed to low. Somebody on the Forum with the same setup went with 18 volts so that's what I did, basically 129 watts. So did I leave a lot on the table?

Jim

 

They'll take 150 watts all day long. But I'd take my time and break them in with a few hours of playing time before I really start cranking on them.

 

That would be 19.6 volts for 150? Or I could leave them at 18 @ 2/3 volume (27 out of 35) and safely venture to 30 periodically?

 

I'd set a definite max volume to live by. That way you take no chances.

 

 

I have a question that may seem stupid, I think the answer is yes, but I'm not 100% sure.... when you set your gain to a specific voltage at a specific volume...would the voltage go up and down with the volume?

 

 

So the gain goes up and down as well, hence the warning not to turn the volume higher than your set point

 

Yes and yes.

 

I run this set up an for what it costs it's pretty darn good. Radio isn't that great but music off my phone rocks.