(Dali Zensor 7s)How much power do i really need?

Recently i dismantled my 5.1 setup and due to room size and general preference i decided to go just with a simpler, higher quality stereo setup.
Today i closed a deal on a pair of Dali Zensor 7 speakers, for the first few days i'll be using a vintage Onkyo Integra A-817XD that usually amplifies a pair of Polks at my home office.
I originally intended to buy a Cambridge Azur 851A and an aditional DAC for my digital device, but i always like to look around more before commiting to purchase something and i ended up coming across two other amplifiers i hadn't seen before, the Hegel H90 and the Vincent SV-500.
If i'm sincere both of those have a more interesting input section, the Hegel one in special due to the inclusion of an USB DAC (i have a computer on the setup) and more Toslink ins, but they're both not as powerful as the Cambridge.
So here comes the question, do i need the aument of power the Cambridge can provide or the others will perform the job just as good?

 

Well, the Cambridge is rated at double the power of the Hegel, but amplifier power ratings are only a rough guide as to actual clipping power into real speakers. I notice the Hegel says it will do 2 ohms but no rating. Cambridge 200W into 4 ohms. And the old Onkyo is probably well built. If you can easily play loud enough with the Onkyo, either of the others is probably fine (though I'd always want to buy with an easy return policy anyway). If the Onkyo runs out of steam, then maybe you need an outboard power amp or actually a subwoofer. The Hegel including a DAC is super convenient, though IIRC Cambridge makes such as well?

 

If the Dali speakers are 4ohm I would avoid the Vincent SV-500.

I own this amp and just recently had to replace it in my main system because I upgraded the speakers to Ohm Microwalsh Talls and the Vincent seemed to be struggling with the 4ohm load. The bass response with the Vincent was especially bad... Very sloppy and boomy. There was also noticeable distortion at higher volume levels regardless of the source.

After replacing the amp with a Yamaha AS-1100 the speakers sound fantastic so I assume the issue was not enough current out of the Vincent.

 

I'd avoid all of those amps. The Zensor isn't terribly hard to drive but it does mate best with an amp that has a healthy amount of current available and a warmish sound. An older mosfet powered amp which has been restored, or a new higher end amp would provide a more natural sound. The Rega Elex-R is an amp that has a warm and refined sound.
-Bill

 

I ran Zensor's with a few amps - best of all was a Yamaha A-S501. I'd go so far to say they are a superb match. A Brio-R, while nice, couldn't match the insight of the Yamaha - it perhaps provided a warmer, more shut-in type sound, doubtless preferable to some. A studio engineer pal of mine, somewhat taken aback, remarked very favourably on the clarity of the Zensor/Yamaha combo. It's a fun, dynamic listen.

Affordable and very well-engineered, I'm sure any of the A-S series will do similar.