Power needed
24–375 W
per channel, into 8 ohms
To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of Polk Audio Signature Elite ES90, you need at least 24 W a channel. Anything from about 47 W to 375 W a channel is comfortable; past that, more watts stop buying you anything.
Show the working
- 95 dB target at the seat
- +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
- -3 dB for a stereo pair
- -83.0 dB effective sensitivity
- 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
- Published sensitivity 85 dB, used as 83.0 dB per watt.
Mark Levinson No.536 with the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES90
Good match
12 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (400 W to 800 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
A power amplifier: you will need a preamplifier, or a streamer with a volume control, as well.
Full Mark Levinson No.536 specs
·
Clear this amp
226 integrated amplifiers suit the Polk Audio Signature Elite ES90
Also show the 4 we do not recommend
1
Excellent match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 375 W.
Rated down to 3 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
2
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
3
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.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 500 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
4
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 580 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
5
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (300 W to 550 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
6
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 375 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
7
Good 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 (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
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.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
9
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.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 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.
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.
11
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (300 W to 450 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
12
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (235 W to 350 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
13
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (235 W to 350 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
14
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (220 W to 340 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
15
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 350 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
16
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (200 W to 300 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
17
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
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.
18
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.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (190 W to 280 W).
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
19
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
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.
20
Good match
8 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.
Showing the best 20 of 226. 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.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
No current price on file for this amplifier.
2
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 1 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (250 W to 450 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
3
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 (250 W to 500 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
4
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.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (210 W to 420 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
5
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.
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.
6
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.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
7
Good 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.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
8
Good match
12 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (400 W to 800 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 Audio Signature Elite ES90 specs.
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