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Speaker recommendations (older vinyl tube rig)

T

TelePhil

New Member
Hi Everyone,

Chasing some speaker recommendations for a rig consisting of a Thorens TD160 mk2 turntable and an old Pioneer SA400 integrated amp (6BM8/ECL82, 11 watts per side).

Currently running Wharfedale Diamond 9s. Looking to upgrade.

Budget: USD 500
Genres I like: Classic rock, Trip-Hop

Slight preference toward vintage speakers given my rig but willing to entertain something recent.

Thanks.
 
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What dont you like about your current speakers ?

What are you hoping to "upgrade" ?
Louder ?
More bass ?
Better imaging ?
 
Great question and one I should have considered before posting - thank you.

If I were to sum it up in crude terms - more 'oomph'. I don't play music excessively loud, and I'm limited by the old SA400 anyway. So I guess I'm talking about speakers with a better low end.

I think the Diamond 9.1's are 'only' a 85dB speaker. I have them just off the wall. I'm generally happy with them otherwise.
 
Not sure where you get "oomph" with 11wpc....What condition is your "Old Pioneer" ?

More efficient speakers will certainly help but depending upon the size of your room they may not satisfy your requirements for oomph.

Have you considred either replacing the Pioneer or adding an amplifier and keeping the Pioneer as a pre ??
 
Adding a sub could provide the "oomph" the OP is looking for but as most subs are typically much more powerful than his current 11wpc it may prove difficult to integrate smoothly.

My thoughts are with only 11wpc and speakers of low - moderate efficency the OP's amp might not be up to the task.
 
This sounds like a job for Klipsch Man! Bringing Klipsch speakers such as Forte or Chorus to people who own low powered receivers.
 
IME I have found Klipsch to be a "love 'em or hate 'em" proposition, they are very efficient but I have never warmed up to the sound of horns, but there are others who do love them.

They also tend to be considerably larger that his current speakers and may not be appropriate for his space.
 
wmgwizard said:
Adding a sub could provide the "oomph" the OP is looking for but as most subs are typically much more powerful than his current 11wpc it may prove difficult to integrate smoothly.

My thoughts are with only 11wpc and speakers of low - moderate efficency the OP's amp might not be up to the task.
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My tube amp is only 12wpc. Most powered subs have gain control. For rap, or triphop in the OPs case, I turn the subs down; while with other music I crank them up a bit. Setting the crossover point helps to seamlessly place them into the setup.
 
Are you located in or near a major market? For $500 budget I'd look through craigslist ads or local hifi/record stores that carry used equipment.

Boston Acoustic A150's pop up all time for $200-400. Recap and refoam them and you've got a pair of speakers that would definitely outperform any current Klipsch speaker line under $1000 and probably outperform the new Wharfedale Linton heritage series.
 
DJSpinner said:
Are you located in or near a major market? For $500 budget I'd look through craigslist ads or local hifi/record stores that carry used equipment.

Boston Acoustic A150's pop up all time for $200-400. Recap and refoam them and you've got a pair of speakers that would definitely outperform any current Klipsch speaker line under $1000 and probably outperform the new Wharfedale Linton heritage series.
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Totally different sound and no way would I agree with this quote, especially with 11wpc.
 
Speakers around 90 dBs (I have Boston Acoustics A70s and Snell KIIs, both work great with tube amps with the same power as yours) and a subwoofer or even better 2 subwoofers.
 
Klipsch KG5.5 or KG4...IF your room isn't acoustically bright. Cerwin Vegas might be worth considering, but they're gonna be a lot more energetic from top to bottom compared to the Wharfedales (same can be said for the aforementioned Klipsch models)...which may or may not be to your liking. Does that integrated have tone controls? High sensitivity speakers (like >95 db) have a tendency to be a little more "forward" in the mids and highs...something to consider.
For something a little lower in sensitivity than the Klipsch or CV (but >90db), look for DCM TF-600 or even the CX-27's. Both have great bottom end (sort of a transmission line cabinet for the -600) and have a very nice, warm tonality. The -600's, I've found, are particularly noteworthy for low volume listening (the -27's may be as well, but I've never listened to them at low volume).
 
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TelePhil said:
I don't play music excessively loud, and I'm limited by the old SA400 anyway. So I guess I'm talking about speakers
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The OP mentions being limited by his old Pioneer hence my recommendation for additional power first.

I believe the OP is probably pushing his current gear and its running out of steam and starting to "clip". Additional power would provide the headroom he needs to get the "oomph" he is looking for. Not sure he is looking for the extended low frequency response a sub would offer but probably more of that snap or punch additional headroom provides. Like I said "I believe"....I used to believe in Santa Clause too, I coukd be waaaayyy off.
 
music room 112022.jpg

With just 12w from my 60's tube amp, and my gorgeous upgraded Thorens TD160, it's vintage all the way, with my speakers: 1950/60's German Isophon G3037.

One set housed in Austrian Organ speaker cabinets, and the other, housed in a pair of Peerless cabinets from the 1970's.

Isophon never sold their speakers in Cabinets.
 
efficiency .. efficiency .. efficiency ..
No oopmph is likely available with a low power tube amp, and a small ported speaker with a 6 ohm impedance ..
Great music yes ... but Ooomph is precisely what it will be lacking ..

Make mine a +5 on the powered sub recommendations ..
Oomph from a bigger driver, in a bigger box with more power, and it relieves the Pioneer of the big power requirements of bass duty .. all in one box ..
More Oomph and more dynamic.in the mids and treble ..

Alternatively .. the only other solution is big box speakers that are much more efficient.
 
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Wow. Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

Regarding implementation of a powered sub on an old amp like the SA-400 that only has one set of speaker outs - presumably the sub would connect in parallel with the Wharfedales and this would change the reflected impedance that the output transformer sees?

The amp has a 8 and 16 ohm speaker switch, so I would need to pick a sub with an impedance of say, (6 + X)/2 = 8, X=10 ohm (give or take) and run the amp on the 8 ohm setting?
 
TelePhil said:
Wow. Thanks for all the replies and suggestions.

Regarding implementation of a powered sub on an old amp like the SA-400 that only has one set of speaker outs - presumably the sub would connect in parallel with the Wharfedales and this would change the reflected impedance that the output transformer sees?

The amp has a 8 and 16 ohm speaker switch, so I would need to pick a sub with an impedance of say, (6 + X)/2 = 8, X=10 ohm (give or take) and run the amp on the 8 ohm setting?
Click to expand...

Powered subwoofers have a super high impedance, the Pioneer will not even know it is there.
 
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