What amplifier does the KLH Kendall need?

Pick a speaker and tell us how loud you listen and how big the room is. We work out the power it actually needs, check which amplifiers can safely drive its impedance, and rank 293 amplifiers against it.

Your system

Four questions. Nothing is hidden on price.

Passive speakers only - a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
Changes the order only. Nothing is hidden for costing too little or too much.
KLH Kendall
KLH Kendall
Floor-standing
96 dB · 8 ohm
$1,500 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
1.9–60 W
per channel, into 8 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of KLH Kendall, you need at least 1.9 W a channel. Anything from about 3.8 W to 60 W a channel is comfortable; past that, more watts stop buying you anything.

Power is not your constraint. The KLH Kendall is efficient enough that essentially any amplifier we list will drive it at this level. Choose on inputs, streaming, phono stage and price instead - and if you like valve amplifiers, this is a speaker that suits them.
Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -94.0 dB effective sensitivity
  • 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
  • Published sensitivity 96 dB, used as 94.0 dB per watt.

PrimaLuna EVO 100 Power with the KLH Kendall

Excellent match
13 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Has a 8 ohm tap, which is exactly what this 8 ohm speaker wants. Taps: 4 / 8 / 16 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 94.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 40 W is comfortable.
A power amplifier: you will need a preamplifier, or a streamer with a volume control, as well.
Full PrimaLuna EVO 100 Power specs · Clear this amp
 
$90 $25,000

224 integrated amplifiers suit the KLH Kendall

Also show the 1 we do not recommend
1
Yamaha WXA-70A
Yamaha WXA-70A
Integrated Amplifier · 55 W into 8 ohms · $1,300
Excellent match
15 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (55 W to 105 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Musical Fidelity M2si
Musical Fidelity M2si
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 76 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (76 W to 135 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Marantz Stereo 70s
Marantz Stereo 70s
Stereo Receiver · Class A/B · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
4
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
5
Rotel A14 MKII
Rotel A14 MKII
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 80 W into 8 ohms · $1,600
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
6
AudioControl Rialto 600
AudioControl Rialto 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Excellent match
17 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 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.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
7
AudioControl Bijou 600
AudioControl Bijou 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Excellent match
17 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 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.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
8
PS Audio Sprout100
PS Audio Sprout100
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 50 W into 8 ohms · $799
Excellent match
14 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (50 W to 100 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
9
Cambridge Audio CXA61
Cambridge Audio CXA61
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 60 W into 8 ohms · $1,099
Good match
15 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (60 W to 90 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
10
Advance Paris X-i75
Advance Paris X-i75
Integrated Amplifier · Class AB-T · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (75 W to 110 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
11
Cambridge CXA81 II
Cambridge CXA81 II
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 80 W into 8 ohms · $1,199
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (80 W to 120 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
Audiolab 7000A
Audiolab 7000A
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $999
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 110 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
13
Eversolo Play
Eversolo Play
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 60 W into 8 ohms · $699
Excellent match
15 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 110 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
14
Rega Brio Mk 7
Rega Brio Mk 7
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 50 W into 8 ohms · $1,195
Good match
14 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (50 W to 72 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
15
Audiolab 6000A MKII
Audiolab 6000A MKII
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 50 W into 8 ohms · $1,099
Good match
14 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (50 W to 75 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
16
Rogue Audio Sphinx v3
Rogue Audio Sphinx v3
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $1,795
Excellent match
17 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 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.
17
Marantz PM8006
Marantz PM8006
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $1,499
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 100 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
18
SVS Prime SoundBase
SVS Prime SoundBase
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $699
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
19
Denon PMA-1600NE
Denon PMA-1600NE
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $2,099
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.
20
Denon PMA-1700NE
Denon PMA-1700NE
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $2,099
Excellent match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 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.

Showing the best 20 of 224. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.

68 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
NAD C 268
NAD C 268
Power Amplifier · Class D · 80 W into 8 ohms · $1,299
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
Parasound NewClassic 2125 v.2
Parasound NewClassic 2125 v.2
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 150 W into 8 ohms · $1,250
Good match
19 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 225 W).
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Audiolab 9000P
Audiolab 9000P
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $1,499
Good match
17 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Power Amplifier · Class D · 70 W into 8 ohms · $599
Good match
16 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (70 W to 125 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
5
Marantz MM7025
Marantz MM7025
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 140 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Good match
19 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 6 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
6
Rotel RB-1552 MkII
Rotel RB-1552 MkII
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 130 W into 8 ohms · $1,699
Good match
18 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker.
No 4 ohm power rating on file, so we cannot judge current delivery.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
7
PrimaLuna EVO 100 Power
PrimaLuna EVO 100 Power
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 40 W into 8 ohms · $3,095
Excellent match
13 dB of headroom, far more than needed. No harm in it.
Has a 8 ohm tap, which is exactly what this 8 ohm speaker wants. Taps: 4 / 8 / 16 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 94.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 40 W is comfortable.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
8
FiiO EA13
FiiO EA13
Power Amplifier · Class A · 28 W into 8 ohms · $770
Excellent match
12 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 60 W.
Has a 8 ohm tap, which is exactly what this 8 ohm speaker wants. Taps: 4 / 8 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 94.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 28 W is comfortable.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
Were these amplifier recommendations useful?
It helps us tune the matching, and we read every comment.

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 KLH Kendall specs.

More tools

💰
System Budget Planner
Split a total across speakers, amplifier and subwoofer, then fill every slot with real models that work together.
📏️
Will It Fit? Speaker Size Finder
Measure your shelf or alcove and see every speaker that goes in it, with a warning where a rear port needs more room than the box does.
🔌
Speaker Wire Gauge Calculator
How thick your speaker cable needs to be for the run length and impedance, and what you lose if it is too thin.
Speaker Impedance Calculator
Wire two or more speakers in series or parallel and see the load your amplifier actually sees.
📏
Speaker Placement Calculator
A plan view of your room: speaker spacing, wall distances, where the bass cancels and where the first reflection lands.
🎸
Subwoofer Crossover Calculator
Where to set the crossover between your speakers and a subwoofer, and which reason is driving the answer.
🎧
Speaker Test Tones
Channel check, polarity, bass extension and frequency sweeps, generated in your browser. Nothing to download.
🏠
Room Mode Calculator
The frequencies your room reinforces and cancels, where they pile up, and what to move first.
📣
SPL & Amplifier Power Calculator
How loud a speaker plays for a given power at a given distance - or how many watts you need for a target level.