I'm looking at the Marantz SR8400 with is rated at 110 watts/channel. Would these blow out my Klipsch SB2's which are rated at 85 watts even if I play at moderate levels. I like the features of the SR8400 and it seems like a good option as I continue to upgrade...but is it too much power?
There seems to be agreement on this forum and all the knowledgeable sales people I have spoken to confirm this.
You stand a much better chance blowing your speakers with a "too weak" amplifier than with one that is rated higher than your speakers. The main reason being that a amplifier with a lower rating has to be pushed much harder, frequently resulting in clipping which can damage your speakers.
A more powerful amplifier can be played at the limits of your speakers and still have a lot of reserve. This will result in a much cleaner and better controlled sound.
Abe is on the money. In fact, the Klipsch's tend to be very efficient so you may find that you don't need to turn up the volume knob very much at all to get a decent level in the room. This means the amp isn't working so hard and so distorting quite a bit less.