I read somewhere last night someone said you'd rarely see the day that you could hear someone doing 1000 watts pep but not aomeone doing 500 rightI beside them..
If all signal meters were accurate it's a 1/2 s-unit difference. For local talking I've found that to be accurate. I have watched web sdr and saw different things happen on a receiver across the country. Do what you can but it's not worth it to tax the amplifier.