Power needed
38–100 W
per channel, into 4 ohms
To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of ELAC VELA BS 403, you need at least 38 W a channel. More than 100 W is wasted here - that is all ELAC 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
- -81.0 dB effective sensitivity
- 3.0 dB taken off to convert the 4 ohm 2.83V rating to dB per watt
- 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
- Published sensitivity 86 dB, used as 81.0 dB per watt.
Marantz Model 40n with the ELAC VELA BS 403
Good match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 100 W).
Full Marantz Model 40n specs
·
Clear this amp
184 integrated amplifiers suit the ELAC VELA BS 403
Also show the 63 we do not recommend
1
Excellent match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (50 W to 100 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (70 W to 140 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (70 W to 140 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (70 W to 140 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
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.
6
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (80 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
Excellent match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Has a 4 ohm tap, which is exactly what this 4 ohm speaker wants. Taps: 4 / 8 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 81.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 100 W is comfortable.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
8
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (80 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
9
Good match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (60 W to 100 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
10
Good match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 100 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
11
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (80 W to 130 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
Good match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 100 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
13
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
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.
14
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
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.
15
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (75 W to 110 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
16
Excellent match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (55 W to 105 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
17
Workable with care
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 155 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
18
Good match
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (90 W to 150 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
19
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (75 W to 115 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
20
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (75 W to 115 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
Showing the best 20 of 184. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.
46 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
Excellent match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Has a 4 ohm tap, which is exactly what this 4 ohm speaker wants. Taps: 4 / 8 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 81.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 100 W is comfortable.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Workable with care
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (160 W to 240 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Workable with care
6 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Good match
5 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
6
Good match
4 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
7
Workable with care
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
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
Workable with care
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean. Well above the 100 W the maker rates the speaker for, so keep an eye on the volume knob.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
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 ELAC VELA BS 403 specs.
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