Can anyone recommend some high-efficiency speakers for a low powered single-ended tube amp?

Timothy Smith

I recently bought a used Norh SE9 single-ended tube integrated amp based on how much I enjoy the Norh AC 2b tube preamp I previously bought.

Tried the SE9 with A/D/S L620's, A/D/S L1090's and some Boston Acoustic A150's. Maybe 90 or 92 dB efficiency range for those speakers.

The SE9 puts out a whopping 9 wpc so it doesn't play very loud but I knew that going in. I really like the sound and the detail it reveals. (Hmmmm....maybe I do play music too loud most of the time).

Can anyone suggest a more efficient speaker that I may like. The previous owner suggested Klipsch, but every time I have heard them they were "harshing" my ears. Looking for a vintage "New England sound'.

Thanks!

BlueMDPicker

I have had wonderful luck finding the sound I believe you're seeking with single driver, Cain & Cain Abbey speakers. They utilize Fostex drivers from Japan. I've driven them with <1.5 watt SEOTL amps.

Link: http://www.pranawire.com/cain&cain.htm

MrBuhl

Klipsch KG2's. Horn loaded, but highly efficient. (sorry, I should read first - now I see your note about Klipsch - though I will say, of all of their designs I find these the most musical).

How about an older set of Pioneer Cs-53's(70's - 40wpc, 8ohm) or even CS-51's (60's - 20wpc, 16ohm)? Surprisingly good sounding, highly efficient, perfect for a mini tube amp or similar. They aren't very common, in fact I'd say fairly rare these days, but they are heavy as heck and built like tanks, Alinco long throw full-range woofers in my CS-51's as I recall.

http://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/pioneer/cs-53.shtml

http://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/pioneer-cs-51-mini-speakers.201219/

62caddy

Timothy Smith wrote: »

I recently bought a used Norh SE9 single-ended tube integrated amp based on how much I enjoy the Norh AC 2b tube preamp I previously bought.

Tried the SE9 with A/D/S L620's, A/D/S L1090's and some Boston Acoustic A150's. Maybe 90 or 92 dB efficiency range for those speakers.

The SE9 puts out a whopping 9 wpc so it doesn't play very loud but I knew that going in. I really like the sound and the detail it reveals. (Hmmmm....maybe I do play music too loud most of the time).

Can anyone suggest a more efficient speaker that I may like. The previous owner suggested Klipsch, but every time I have heard them they were "harshing" my ears. Looking for a vintage "New England sound'.

Thanks!

Not quite certain what a "vintage New England sound" sounds like but yes, you are certainly going to want extremely sensitive loudspeakers with a low power SET amplifier.

I would recommend something along the lines of vintage Altec speakers such as Valencia, Malibu, Laguna.

Also keep an eye out for Heathkit AS 21 which is the kit version of Altec Malibu with Altec internals.

All these models would be ideally suited for use with a low power SET with sensitivity in the ~ 100dB range @ 1W 1m and all highly regarded.

Timothy Smith

By "New England Sound" I mean neutral, not sizzle and boom "West coast sound" .
I pretty consistently prefer sealed speakers with fabric dome tweeters. Something that sounds good on all kinds of music is part of the "neutral" description.

A/D/S, Dahlquist DQ10 and DQ20, EPI/Epicure, Boston Acoustics, some vintage Polks etc. Magneplanar (although it's not sealed and not conventional dynamic drivers.

Price-wise I usually go with used vintage. This is a 3rd or 4th system in my house so I don't need or want anything expensive. I would need to sell some stuff to go $1000+, and this is an experiment with tube SET, not sure if it will be long term.

So efficient, inexpensive, vintage/used, neutral is the sweet spot for me and this system. Maybe asking too much.

Thanks for the ideas!

mhardy6647

I think y'all know what I use with 3.5 watts per channel (single-ended 2A3).

DSC_8059 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

There actually are lots (lots) of good choices -- but Hoffman's Iron Law is indeed, iron(ic):

small size, high sensitivity, bass extension -- you can have any pair, but not all three

Many of the single-driver systems are likely to be harsh relative to the perspective of "New England" sound. Indeed, even the multi-way high-sensitivity systems fall into that trap (the "heritage" Klipsch and the famous and much-beloved vintage JBL monitors fall into this category for me). The Duplexes with Doug Sax' MasteringLabs XOs are smooth and sound real (not 'realisic') to me.

I guess that was just an ego-centric way to say "listen before plunking down filthy lucre, or at least buy something that'll be easy to re-sell without a big loss if you don't like 'em".

If you're anywhere northern New England... I'd be happy to send you home with a pair of -- pretty much anything in the collection if you feel like stoppin' by sometime!

Alternatively, if you want to try some FR driverss on open baffles, I can mail you a pair of something to try if you'll reimburse the shipping cost :- )


EDIT: oh -- someone mentioned the Cain & Cain Abbys (which are non-folded TQWT enclosures loaded with Fostex drivers); I found them, at least loaded with Fostex FE-166E twincones, to be harsher than I'd care to live with on many recordings. That said, lots of folks like the sound of very expensive JBL systems that literally make me grit my teeth; de gustibus non est disputandum.

voltz

I did the DIY from Madisound
https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.com/full-range-speaker-kits/fostex-bk-20-folded-horn-kit-pair/

but it was a bit cheaper last year when I got my

voltz

which has my curious about these Omega speakers
http://omegaloudspeakers.com/super7monitormk2.html

txcoastal1

voltz wrote: »

which has my curious about these Omega speakers
http://omegaloudspeakers.com/super7monitormk2.html

I'm intrigued too, if you get a wild hair between now and LSAF and purchase a pair would like to get my ears on them. I'll bring the Unison Simply Italy 12watter with me to pair them with....only thing is you can't leave Halen alone with it....'cause it'll come up missing.
http://unisonresearch.com/en/products/valves/integrated-amplifiers/simply-italy.html

voltz

I like the looks of the Integrated Amplifier Ron, maybe next year I may do think about trying those speakers. right now and I'm on cloud 9 playing with the CRS's!

but next year I just may try a pair of the Omega's...you know what they say: Once you heard 1 good set of speakers...you want to hear them all

txcoastal1

voltz wrote: »

I like the looks of the Integrated Amplifier Ron, maybe next year I may do think about trying those speakers. right now and I'm on cloud 9 playing with the CRS's!

but next year I just may try a pair of the Omega's...you know what they say: Once you heard 1 good set of speakers...you want to hear them all

Well LSAF is next year in May so....

voltz

LOL so I will pick up a set and bring them up to LSAF

You know what they say: Curiousity killed my catskin wallet.

62caddy

My main system uses Polks and Snells; the vintage tube system uses Altecs with a pair of BA T1000 with their mids & tweeters disconnected for bass extension. (A separate SS amplifier runs the woofers of the T1000s)

Although one rig sounds dramatically different from the other, each makes a different kind of "good" - if that makes any sense.

For a long time I was convinced the "New England" sound was king but I have found that with certain music, there's a startling realism with compression horns that the more contemporary designs can't approach. YMMV.

If experimenting, I suggest giving high efficiency horns a chance with a low power SET. Something along the lines of a pair of Altec Models 14, 17, 18 or 604 8H. I think any of those would be ideal mates for an SET without the harshness often associated with traditional horns.

cnh

Those Omega speakers look interesting, Skip!

Mikey081057

Acuhorn

http://www.acuhorn.pl/acuhorn.htm

Don't know if they will give you that NE sound as they are from Poland but I was interested in them.

Hard to find a place to hear them them tho. Maybe skip will become US disty.

mhardy6647

Not to change the subject or anything -- but I am listening to a superlative, ultra-stripped down performance of the Cowboy Junkies' "Come Calling" recorded live in the fine acoustic space of a Haverhill, MA radio station (WXRV)... and... if you want to hear effortless, soulful, flesh-and-blood reproduction of music (with three-ish watts per channel), I urge you to give a listen to a pair of Duplexes (with good, appropriate crossovers).


604Etest by Mark Hardy, on Flickr
DSC_5735 by Mark Hardy, on Flickr

voltz

Love those speakers Doc, but tell me about the little black box? (Frequency Dividing Network)

mhardy6647

The anomalies of the stock Altec XO for Duplexes were well recognized; the late Doug Sax (of Mastering Lab fame) and his minions designed XOs that fixed the shortcomings of the Altec XO... and sold the results to the industry. The notorious (in some circles) shoutiness of Duplexes with the stock XOs is, I'd opine, completely ameloriated by the Mastering Labs XOs. I was fortunate enough to get a pair of 604Es and a\ pair of Mastering Labs XOs for a great package price... I've never looked back.

Jeff Markwart has also designed well-respected DIY XOs for the Duplexes (and other Altec products):
http://home.earthlink.net/~jmarkwart/