Speaker Recommendations for a 38 WPC Tube Amp???

trav0810
trav0810 Posts: 1,056
edited February 2013 in Speakers
I have a friend that is building me a pretty sexy tube amp right now (38WPC) and I am looking for speaker recommendations to pair it with. I love the vintage monitors so I have been looking at possibly the 5's or 7's. I am also looking at possibly an RTi6 or the Monitor 40's. Thanks!
The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
Thorens TD320
Modified Carver C-1
Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,596
    edited February 2013
    trav0810 wrote: »
    I have a friend that is building me a pretty sexy tube amp right now (38WPC) and I am looking for speaker recommendations to pair it with. I love the vintage monitors so I have been looking at possibly the 5's or 7's. I am also looking at possibly an RTi6 or the Monitor 40's. Thanks!

    RTA's would be good as well, like the RTA 11TL's I have. I also know folks driving SDA's with tubes as well. Whose doing it? Old Stereo Dog?

    Vintage Monitors would work as well, but IMHO the RTA's would be the best if you cant use your SDA's....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    My SDA's will be staying with my current Carver system. I am interested in a smaller set of speakers as this will be my bedroom system.
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,596
    edited February 2013
    trav0810 wrote: »
    My SDA's will be staying with my current Carver system. I am interested in a smaller set of speakers as this will be my bedroom system.

    With that much tube power you almost want bigger speakers like maybe another set of SDA's like the CRS+s, or RTA's or even like bigger RTi's
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    OTD said to find a speaker that rates around 25-125. I have a set of Monitor 12's and he thought that was bigger than I wanted.
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,207
    edited February 2013
    Hello, trav0810. A pair of Focal 807V's would be right up your alley for your application. You may want to add these to the list of speakers to audition or look at.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2013
    Sonist Speakers were designed for low wattage tube amps.

    http://www.sonist.com/

    I've heard most of their models and they all sounded very nice.
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2013
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Hello, trav0810. A pair of Focal 807V's would be right up your alley for your application. You may want to add these to the list of speakers to audition or look at.

    Tom
    This is the last thing a tube amp wants to feed as it will accentuate the area of 2-3Khz.

    1107Focfig1.jpg
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited February 2013
    K-Horn cornerhorns-- although you could push them with a 5 watt tube amp nicely.
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,596
    edited February 2013
    Trav:

    Going to throw out a idea to ya I have been toying with. I dont know if you have DIY skills or even want to head this route, but I got this info from Perry (PDR) from that site we will not name :biggrin:

    _________________________________________________________

    I emailed Danny Ritchie at GR about those X-statik DIY open baffle speakers, he got back to me. I'm not sure what you had for a price point, remember this is only for the drivers and x-over parts, you have to build the cabinets and supply the material for them.

    If you are looking for your last ever type speaker, these are probably not them. In order to get into high end kits, like my Open baffle Super Vs.......your looking at between 2-3K$.....thats just the drivers and x-over parts. Super Vs retail for about 9-10K finished, ready to play.......BUT....

    If your looking to try a nice OB project, that has had a lot of nice reviews this is a great bargain. Think I might build a pair as well this summer. The kits go for....$379 a pair, plus shipping from Texas

    Youll need a sub to augment them. These were originally a AV123 product co-designed with GR

    Heres some info:

    AV123 has formally announced that their new X-Statik Open Baffle Loudspeakers are now for sale on their website. We snapped some pictures of the X-Statiks at the 2007 Rocky Mountain Audiofest and they were very impressive. The speakers were co-designed by Mark Schifter (AV123) and Danny Ritchie (GR Research), and feature a pair of custom built Peerless India 6.5″ curvilinear treated paper cones along with an all new Peerless India fabric dome tweeter in an open baffle configuration. The low-end is provided by another pair of custom Peerless India 6.5″ woofers in a sealed enclosure. Frequency response is 65-20Khz (+/-3dB) and the speakers have an impedance of 8 ohms nominal with an efficiency rating of 90.5dB

    Heres a link to the sale page: http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=90911.0

    If you want to spend a bit more....let me know......
    If you go a different direction.....Happy hunting!
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,207
    edited February 2013
    Face wrote: »
    This is the last thing a tube amp wants to feed as it will accentuate the area of 2-3Khz.

    attachment.php?attachmentid=81569&d=1361133338

    That's odd to see that graph. The Focal's paired rather nicely with the 8 watt Radii tube amp and remains one of the most memorable combos I have ever had in my various systems. Makes me wonder what tubes were they using to make that graph and if they had anything to do with it.

    Oh and George. You do realize that he looking for a set of bedroom speakers, right? Most living rooms don't have the proper room for K-Horns, I couldn't imagine putting a pair in my bedroom and I have a somewhat large one.

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited February 2013
    Well Tom,, I guess I should have read the entire post,, you got me!
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • treitz3
    treitz3 Posts: 19,207
    edited February 2013
    Hehe, it's all good. I hope all is well in Daniel's land tonight. Tell Janice I said "hello" for me will ya?

    Tom
    ~ In search of accurate reproduction of music. Real sound is my reference and while perfection may not be attainable? If I chase it, I might just catch excellence. ~
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    Dan, my DIY skills are non-existent! I love the speakers that Perry built, but there is no way I am going to try that route. I am just looking for a smaller, unassuming set of bedroom speakers that are reasonably priced.
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • EndersShadow
    EndersShadow Posts: 17,596
    edited February 2013
    trav0810 wrote: »
    Dan, my DIY skills are non-existent! I love the speakers that Perry built, but there is no way I am going to try that route. I am just looking for a smaller, unassuming set of bedroom speakers that are reasonably priced.

    No worries mate. Mine are the same, I just got lucky in that I have relatives in WI that are carpenters so I am sure they could make the cabinets for me....

    If your looking for smaller unassuming speakers, the Monitor 7's are not what you want. The Monitor 5's would work as would the RTi's. I wouldnt go with Monitor 40's at all simply as they wont really do the tubes justice.

    LSi7's would be really good if the amp can handle the 4 ohm load....
    "....not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." William Bruce Cameron, Informal Sociology: A Casual Introduction to Sociological Thinking (1963)
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    Yeah, the 7's were the largest end of the scale. OTD recommended an 8OHM speaker, so that is what I have been looking at. Otherwise, the LSi's would have been my first choice. I am watching a set of 5's right now. we'll see how that goes.
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited February 2013
    Since someone recommended Focal..... I have a pair of JM Lab Chorus 705 s Focals that I'd be willing to let go for under $300 shipped if you were interested. Not sure what your budget is but think these would pair nice with a tube amp.

    Here's a link to a pic for comparison (not my site nor pic)

    http://www.numberonesound.com/description_422.html

    Mine are in the light wood color
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    Thanks for the advice, and TN, thanks for the offer on the Focals. I ended up winning the set of 5's that I was watching, so it looks as though I have what I need. Thanks Guys!
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
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  • TNHNDYMAN
    TNHNDYMAN Posts: 2,145
    edited February 2013
    Good to hear, hope you enjoy the new setup.
    2-ch System: Parasound P/LD 2000 pre, Parasound HCA-1000 amp, Parasound T/DQ Tuner, Phase Technology PC-100 Tower speakers, Technics SL-1600 Turntable, Denon 2910 SACD/CD player, Peachtree DAC iT and X1asynchorus USB converter, HSU VTF-3 subwoofer.

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  • heiney9
    heiney9 Posts: 25,213
    edited February 2013
    trav0810 wrote: »
    Yeah, the 7's were the largest end of the scale. OTD recommended an 8OHM speaker, so that is what I have been looking at. Otherwise, the LSi's would have been my first choice. I am watching a set of 5's right now. we'll see how that goes.

    I have a pair of modded 5B's in an office rig and I run them with 9wpc or 15wpc or 30wpc tubes amps. They all work well, only exception is the 30wpc unit plays a little louder if I need too. All 3 tube amps are different but all work very well with 5B's.

    H9
    "Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul!
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  • FTGV
    FTGV Posts: 3,649
    edited February 2013
    treitz3 wrote: »
    Makes me wonder what tubes were they using to make that graph and if they had anything to do with it.
    That graph is stricly of the impedance (and impedance phase) as measured by an analyser,there were no tubes involved.Typically small tube amps,especially SE types, will sound very different depending upon the actual impedance load they are seeing from the speaker.Because these amps usually have high-ish output impedances their frequency response will be altered to a greater extent when mated with a speaker with a widely varying impedance.
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited February 2013
    FTGV wrote: »
    That graph is stricly of the impedance (and impedance phase) as measured by an analyser,there were no tubes involved.Typically small tube amps,especially SE types, will sound very different depending upon the actual impedance load they are seeing from the speaker.Because these amps usually have high-ish output impedances their frequency response will be altered to a greater extent when mated with a speaker with a widely varying impedance.
    Thanks for putting this into words clearer than I could...
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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  • trav0810
    trav0810 Posts: 1,056
    edited February 2013
    heiney9 wrote: »
    I have a pair of modded 5B's in an office rig and I run them with 9wpc or 15wpc or 30wpc tubes amps. They all work well, only exception is the 30wpc unit plays a little louder if I need too. All 3 tube amps are different but all work very well with 5B's.

    H9

    Nice! I was also looking at a pair of 7Bs, But for the smaller room I think the 5's will work better for me. They are supposed to be here by Friday. I should have the amp by next week.
    The difference between genius and stupidity is; genius has its limits.” -Albert Einstein

    Sony Playstation 3 for CD and Streaming
    Thorens TD320
    Modified Carver C-1
    Carver TFM 42 and 45 Amplifiers
    Polk RTA15TL Speakers w/Decato mods
    White Lightning Moonshine DIY Speaker Cables and Interconnects
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter