Most tube friendly speakers?
- Thread starter Jailtime
- Start date
Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Which Wharfedales? Just wondering 'cause I have a pair of alnico W60's I'd like to keep in use somehow. I know my W90's do well with as low as 20wpc, but I bet the W60's can shine with very-little, so long as it's tube-powered/voiced.
Whoops... Cancel that. I read the thread you posted and realized you have the first-generation W60's like mine.
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pmsummer
simul justus et peccator
My experience with Bozaks has been that they are accurate but slightly muted (and need a bit more power to fill a room). Klipsch speakers tend to be accurate but a bit harsh at times (and very unforgiving), and excel with low (distortion free) power. Fraziers (IMO) seem to be "mellower" than a similar Klipsch, but more efficient and brighter than a Bozak... smaller, too.
I used to run an array of big-bookshelf speakers in my office: AR3a, Frazier MK-V, double OL Advents, and Yamaha NS-1000Ms (the Cornwalls and K-Horns were in the living room). I liked each pair for different reasons, but when I downsized/moved, the Fraziers and the Yamahas stayed in-system.
pmsummer
simul justus et peccator
Leads ripped out of one tweeter. If I was still in Dallas, those would probably have a new home. Of course, if I were to bring in more speakers, I might be the one looking for a new home. ;-)
Texun1
Well-Known Member
tubeboob
Super Member
I'm sure you'll love those Cizeks, I use mine with a Fisher 400 tube receiver . . . and whoaah . . . damn good . . . :yes::yes::yes::yes::yes:
Cheers
shacky
Addicted Member
Thanks! I started a recapping and need to finish it. I'd like to replace the noisy pots. Do you know where I can get appropriate replacements?
pmsummer
simul justus et peccator
Cizeks are GREAT speakers (I've got two pair), but I find them a bit inefficient for tube gear.
shacky
Addicted Member
There was a thread on this subject with link to great article which stated the premise that efficiency was less important than even impedance across freq range for speakers to be tube friendly.
And from what I gather the Cizeks excel in that area.
Gang-Twanger
Resident Wharfedaliophool
Yeah, I'm definitely a fan of a mellower sound. I don't do well with unforgiving speakers with bright-sounding tweeters. My W90's sound very-similar to a pair of big Bozaks (The drivers themselves have a very-similar sound-signature). Even with the ported design, the bass-response is really-not that different. Fat, punchy, and well-defined (especially when the W90's are raised off the floor a good 10"-12"), plus they hardly-need any power at all, and this is why they suit me so-well (I have a 14'x14' room, plus I listen at background levels mostly... No cranking). I love the Bozak sound with a passion, but the big Bozaks can get pricey, so it was a real joy to find out that the early Wharfedales have that same kind of sound-signature that I love. They really are the poor man's Bozak (Remember, back in the day, how they used to call the Faces the "poor man's Rolling Stones"? Well, I'm a huge fan of BOTH bands
).
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Of course there's another route you can do down like the one I chose. Instead of finding speakers that work well with your tube amp get a tube amp that works well with all your speakers. It's not a cheap solution but my 85 wpc tube amps drive any speaker I've come across with authority. The best so far was an inefficient pair of quantum 3's. Right now they're working well with a pair of emi's that a flea amp could easily power.
69chargerse
Member
I have a pair of Klipsch KG 4.2 that I drive with a Scott 340. Sounds pretty sweet! Factory sales brochure indicates that it puts out 27wpc. I just had it re-capped and checked over, it was tested to 40wpc @ 8 ohms. Love the horn tweeter. I just got it back, so I haven't tried it with anything else (my other speakers are bookshelf sized).
My uncle has a pair of 3-way Electro-Voice Marquis that I would love to try with this receiver. I also have an old book called "Hi Fidelity Simplified", and inside are specs for the EV Aristocrats. I thought of building a clone set of these with EV SRO's and a pair of Jensen horn tweeters that I scavenged out of a Magnavox SS console.
My uncle has a pair of 3-way Electro-Voice Marquis that I would love to try with this receiver. I also have an old book called "Hi Fidelity Simplified", and inside are specs for the EV Aristocrats. I thought of building a clone set of these with EV SRO's and a pair of Jensen horn tweeters that I scavenged out of a Magnavox SS console.
weber1
Active Member
Which Marquis does he have? IIRCC, they came with either the 15 or 12 inch woofer. I grew up listening to the 12” Marquis and I really like how they sound with very few watts.
69chargerse
Member
The 12" ones. He got them for free off of Craigslist just over a year ago. Talk about luck! A friend of his brought over a low-watt console tube amp, and IIRC he said the EV's sounded better with the tube amp than with his Onkyo TX-8500.
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I do believe those are the ones I bought last weekend. Paid 75 bucks for them.Same here, That is why they are still on CL
oregonalex
Member
Sorry for reviving an old thread, but it is really hard to find people with direct experience with the Audiokinesis Prisma speakers. So, since you've mentioned them:
How is the bass from these speakers? I would use them mostly for classic rock, without a sub, and with a 75W tube amp?
Thanks!