Amplifier power for an Altec 511B horn (GPA 902 driver)

[MerlinVSM]

I am building two speakers incl.a Dipole woofer and the Altec 511B horn for a living room High Fidelity active set up.

The system will be active i.e one amplifier channel per woofer and horn.

The amplifier for the woofers will be an Altec 9440A power amplifier 2x200W (8 ohm).

However, will another Altec 9440A be appropriate also for the Altec 511B horns, or is it just to much power.

Any other recommendation for power amplifier for the Altec 511B's.

[gvasale]

The 9440 can toast a lot of speakers as well as many other high power amps. Simplest thing is to fuse the speakers. How big a fuse? I'm not sure. Maybe start with 2 amp quick blow, and go up carefully from there. There usually isn't "too much power" but there can be "driven too hard." The distinction is where "too much available power" becomes "driven too hard." Notice I said "available" power. It might be best tested with a sound pressure level meter...and go for a somewhat moderate level, not the maximum spl for the maximum (rated) watts input.

[Old Guy]

Generally I size the HF amp at half, but that's just a rule of thumb....the horn won't need much power. A 9444a is overkill, even a 9441a. Why match power on devices 10 dB apart in efficiency? Answer, you don't. Unless you wanna cook drivers. Think about it, the horn is a 30 watt device. Max. So even with 10 dB beyond blowing the driver, it would be 300. 10 watts is more like a realistic VERY LOUD level. So 100 is fine. Allow your ears to give up before the frams.