Is this your experience with them?
I agree, 35 W PEP is definitely more than you need to run these. Keeping in mind, the info I'm posting is running SSB. I'm almost never on AM. But since putting my 503 HD inline, I've cautiously been doing some testing with input wattage and found the sweet spot at 20 W PEP and no more than 25. Again, I'll always error on the side of caution and stay around 20 PEP. This gets me 280 to 290 watts swing. 25 definitely gets it over 300 +.
Edit... I went back and tested 15 W PEP and got 250 from the amp. Not bad at all. I may just lower what I consider the sweet spot.
AM, as most people know is a different beast and you seriously have to be careful with the POWA...
73