Power needed
19–150 W
per channel, into 8 ohms
To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of Polk R100, you need at least 19 W a channel. More than 150 W is wasted here - that is all Polk Audio rates the speaker to take.
Show the working
- 95 dB target at the seat
- +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
- -3 dB for a stereo pair
- -84.0 dB effective sensitivity
- 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
- Published sensitivity 86 dB, used as 84.0 dB per watt.
Cambridge Audio MXW70 with the Polk R100
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 125 W).
A power amplifier: you will need a preamplifier, or a streamer with a volume control, as well.
Full Cambridge Audio MXW70 specs
·
Clear this amp
224 integrated amplifiers suit the Polk R100
Also show the 2 we do not recommend
1
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 3 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
5
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (135 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
6
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
8
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 250 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
9
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
10
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 260 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
11
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 3.6 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
13
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 3.6 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
14
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
15
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
16
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
17
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
18
Good match
5 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 120 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
19
Good match
5 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 110 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
20
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
Showing the best 20 of 224. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.
67 power amplifiers that would also drive them
Listed separately because they are not a complete system: a power amplifier has no volume control and no inputs to speak of, so you need a preamplifier or a streaming preamp as well. Worth it if you already own one, or if you want to buy the two halves separately.
1
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 225 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
2
Workable with care
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 150 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 3.6 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 125 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 3.6 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
No current price on file for this amplifier.
5
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
6
Workable with care
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 325 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (175 W to 345 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
8
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 3.6.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
Were these amplifier recommendations useful?
It helps us tune the matching, and we read every comment.
Thanks. Anything you would add?
Optional, and it goes straight to the person who maintains this page.
Thanks - noted.
Sensitivity and impedance figures are the manufacturer's own. We read sensitivity as dB at 2.83 V/1 m and take 2 dB off it, because published figures run high. Treat the result as a well-founded starting point, not a measurement. Full Polk R100 specs.
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