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A watt is a watt.
However, any so-called “differences” between one amplifier
or another’s “watt” is usually determined by how the manufacturer measured it,
for specification (and advertising) purposes. Many things can affect power
output measurements such as distortion level, frequency bandwidth, power
response, how long the amplifier can sustain “full power” under the
aforementioned conditions, all channels operating or just one, etc.
Your RW-1501 requires use of the RSA-500 amplifier so here
the point is moot.
On the THX speakers you’ll most likely need a receiver that supports
some THX qualified format. Personally, I don’t know of any THX certified tube
amps/recievers. People usually use tube amps for music reproduction, not 5/7
channel setups with speakers primarily designed for movie sound (THX
certified).
As far as the lipstick on a pig comments are going ~
unfortunately they are correct. I don’t really see the point of using 5 or more
channels of tube amps. If you’ve “skimped” in the speaker department by using
small ceiling mount speakers I don’t think you’re going to realize any gain in
performance or audible improvement by using tube amps which tend to be
expensive, large, generate large amounts of heat, and are costly to maintain
and operate.
“Looking at Tube amps, they all see to be very
"weak" but I've been reading people say that a 20 watt tube amp will
power thier 200watt RMS pair of speakers so that they can be heard blocks away.”
True, but this is not because of the sound qualities of the 20
watt tube amp, it is because of the efficiency (sensitivity) of the speaker
being used, not because it’s a “200 watt RMS speaker” with a 20 watt tube amp.
Tube amps tend to “sound” louder. They typically have higher
levels of measured distortion. The distortion tends to make amplifiers “sound”
louder. They also have more “give” as they approach maximum output acting like
very natural compressors, unlike solid state which tend to simply play clean
until it clips the signal (ewoh!!!)
As far as sub placement goes, the same principals should apply.
Free space (1x) has the least amount of bass reinforcement. 1/2 space (an infinite
wall) is next best. ¼ space (a wall and floor or wall and ceiling) location is
next best. 1/8 space (two walls and the floor or ceiling corner) provides the
best overall support/reinforcement of low frequencies. Other issues may come
into play such as the geometry and size of the space as well as things in the
space which will affect the overall smoothness of output.
Since your priorities obviously required concealed appearance
and use of ceiling mount speakers as opposed to ~ dare I say “sound quality”, I
don’t think there is much, if anything to be gained from the use of tube gear
in a system such as yours.