What amplifier does the Wilson Audio Alida CSC 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 297 amplifiers against it.

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Passive speakers only - a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
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Wilson Audio Alida CSC
Wilson Audio Alida CSC
Surround
87 dB · 4 ohm
dips to 5.56 ohm
$18,638 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
30–60 W
per channel, into 4 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of Wilson Audio Alida CSC, you need at least 30 W a channel.

No amplifier will get you there. Wilson Audio rates the Wilson Audio Alida CSC to 25 W, and it needs 30 W to reach 95 dB at this distance. Listen a step quieter, sit closer, or add a subwoofer to take the bass load off it - that is where most of the power goes.
Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -82.0 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 87 dB, used as 82.0 dB per watt.

Technics SU-R1000 with the Wilson Audio Alida CSC

Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Full Technics SU-R1000 specs · Clear this amp
 
$90 $25,000

191 integrated amplifiers suit the Wilson Audio Alida CSC

Also show the 60 we do not recommend
1
Audio Research I/70
Audio Research I/70
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $9,950
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 82.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 70 W is comfortable.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
2
PrimaLuna EVO 400 Integrated
PrimaLuna EVO 400 Integrated
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $6,495
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 82.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 70 W is comfortable.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
3
Luxman L-507Z
Luxman L-507Z
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 110 W into 8 ohms · $10,495
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (110 W to 220 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
4
Accuphase E-3000
Accuphase E-3000
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $9,500
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 150 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
5
MOON 641
MOON 641
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $11,000
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
6
Mark Levinson No.5805
Mark Levinson No.5805
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $10,500
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 (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
7
Yamaha A-S3200
Yamaha A-S3200
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $8,000
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 150 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
8
Technics SU-R1000
Technics SU-R1000
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $11,999
Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
9
Technics SU-GX70
Technics SU-GX70
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 30 W into 8 ohms · $1,999
Excellent match
3 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (30 W to 60 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
10
McIntosh MSA5500
McIntosh MSA5500
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $8,000
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 160 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
11
Devialet Astra
Devialet Astra
Integrated Amplifier · ADH (Analog Digital Hybrid) · 150 W into 8 ohms · $20,000
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 (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III
Rogue Audio Cronus Magnum III
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $3,495
Good match
5 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 82.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 100 W is comfortable.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
13
ELAC DS-A101-G
ELAC DS-A101-G
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 40 W into 8 ohms · $850
Good match
4 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 (40 W to 80 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
14
Arcam Solo Uno
Arcam Solo Uno
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 25 W into 8 ohms · $769
Good match
2 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (25 W to 50 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
15
Naim Uniti Nova
Naim Uniti Nova
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 80 W into 8 ohms · $6,899
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 that dips to 5.56.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 4 ohm speaker dipping to 5.56 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
16
Mark Levinson No.5802
Mark Levinson No.5802
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 125 W into 8 ohms · $8,500
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 (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
17
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Integrated
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $6,995
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 150 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
18
Luxman L-505Z
Luxman L-505Z
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $6,995
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 150 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
19
MOON 250i v2
MOON 250i v2
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 50 W into 8 ohms · $2,400
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 that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (50 W to 100 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
20
PS Audio Sprout100
PS Audio Sprout100
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 50 W into 8 ohms · $799
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 that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (50 W to 100 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.

Showing the best 20 of 191. 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
PrimaLuna EVO 400 Power
PrimaLuna EVO 400 Power
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 70 W into 8 ohms · $5,995
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 / 16 ohm.
A valve amplifier makes the same power on each tap, so what matters is sensitivity - and at 82.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 70 W is comfortable.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
2
Naim NAP 300 DR
Naim NAP 300 DR
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 90 W into 8 ohms · $12,700
Good match
5 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. On a 4 ohm speaker dipping to 5.56 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Naim NAP 250
Naim NAP 250
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $8,999
Excellent 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 (100 W to 190 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
4
Accuphase P-4600
Accuphase P-4600
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 150 W into 8 ohms · $13,975
Excellent 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 (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
5
Rogue Audio Stereo 100
Rogue Audio Stereo 100
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $4,195
Excellent match
5 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 82.0 dB this speaker is efficient enough that 100 W is comfortable.
Well below the speakers - leaves money on the table, but nothing wrong with it.
6
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Power
PrimaLuna EVO 300 Hybrid Power
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $7,195
Good match
7 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (100 W to 150 W).
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
7
Audio Research S-200
Audio Research S-200
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $12,950
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with a 4 ohm speaker that dips to 5.56.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
8
Naim NAP 350
Naim NAP 350
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 175 W into 8 ohms · $8,499
Good match
11 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.
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 Wilson Audio Alida CSC specs.

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