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What are your "unexpectedly good" loudspeaker-amplifier combos?

Marantz 2215 and KLH Model 5's worked well together for smaller listening space/near field listening. The Model 5's open up and shine with larger amps but are very capable of sounding quite nice with low power.
 
gbroot said:
Marantz 2215 and KLH Model 5's worked well together for smaller listening space/near field listening. The Model 5's open up and shine with larger amps but are very capable of sounding quite nice with low power.
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I tend to judge speakers by how well they sound at low volumes as well as high volumes. If they can do both well, i keep them.
 
Lavane said:
I tend to judge speakers by how well they sound at low volumes as well as high volumes. If they can do both well, i keep them.
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Well this is my experience so far:
  1. NHT SuperZeros sound very well at high volumes, but they become very midrangey at low volumes.
  2. B&W DM302s sound nice at low to moderate volumes, but they sound strained and shouty at high volumes when driven by wrong amplifiers --and the B&Ws are very picky about amplifiers.
  3. Now, my JBL titanium domed-speakers: 120Tis, L20Ts, LX44, the single 4410 I have for center speaker, they all play nicely at low volumes as well as high volumes. At low volumes, they sound subtle and detailed, and at high volumes, they sound dynamic and lively.
 
Kreshna said:
Well this is my experience so far:
  1. NHT SuperZeros sound very well at high volumes, but they become very midrangey at low volumes.
  2. B&W DM302s sound nice at low to moderate volumes, but they sound strained and shouty at high volumes when driven by wrong amplifiers --and the B&Ws are very picky about amplifiers.
  3. Now, my JBL titanium domed-speakers: 120Tis, L20Ts, LX44, the single 4410 I have for center speaker, they all play nicely at low volumes as well as high volumes. At low volumes, they sound subtle and detailed, and at high volumes, they sound dynamic and lively.
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#3 is the goal really. I've passed along well regarded speakers due to them not being able to achieve this. Mostly due to just not sounding right at low volumes.
 
Lavane said:
#3 is the goal really. I've passed along well regarded speakers due to them not being able to achieve this. Mostly due to just not sounding right at low volumes.
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Although, well, the problem with JBL titanium domed speakers is that they can sound crap with the wrong amplifier --regardless of volume. My L20Ts sound grainy when driven by Sansui A40, bassy and midrangey when driven by Rotel RB-985, and sounds nice and airy when driven by Sansui AU-7900.
 
Kreshna said:
Although, well, the problem with JBL titanium domed speakers is that they can sound crap with the wrong amplifier --regardless of volume. My L20Ts sound grainy when driven by Sansui A40, bassy and midrangey when driven by Rotel RB-985, and sounds nice and airy when driven by Sansui AU-7900.
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I'm a big fan of silk dome tweeters. All of my speakers now have either paper cone, or soft domes of various materials. Every speaker with horn or metal dome tweeters didn't hang around long. Metal dome tweeters give me ear fatigue pretty quick. Horns tend to sound shouty to me, fine for pretty large spaces, but not for my living room.
 
Lavane said:
I'm a big fan of silk dome tweeters. All of my speakers now have either paper cone, or soft domes of various materials. Every speaker with horn or metal dome tweeters didn't hang around long. Metal dome tweeters give me ear fatigue pretty quick. Horns tend to sound shouty to me, fine for pretty large spaces, but not for my living room.
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Well I actually like titanium dome tweeters --cymbals and the likes. But they sound best when driven by the likes of Sansui AU-7900 or Sansui AU-555. Rotel is also nice, but Sansui sounds airier, while Rotel sounds more chocolatey.
 
Kreshna said:
Although, well, the problem with JBL titanium domed speakers is that they can sound crap with the wrong amplifier --regardless of volume. My L20Ts sound grainy when driven by Sansui A40, bassy and midrangey when driven by Rotel RB-985, and sounds nice and airy when driven by Sansui AU-7900.
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I use tubes to tame that titanium ..but agreed ..airy and extended with the right amp ..
 
Harman Kardon 330b driving Klipsch Kg3. A great pairing that sounds as good as many more expensive systems. It’s a perfect starter system you can be happy with for years
 
Oldchen EL34-B & Dali Zensor 3. Unexpected because the stigma that new Chi-Fi can't compete with "vintage" tube gear and although I don't have any other tube equipment to compare it to, it sounds far better than any SS equipment I've owned (and I've owned a lot)

As for the speakers, the conventional thinking is that a low powered valve amp must be mated with uber efficient speakers, but at "only" 88db the pairing offers the best stereo playback I've ever had.

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CraigVMN said:
Oldchen EL34-B & Dali Zensor 3. Unexpected because the stigma that new Chi-Fi can't compete with "vintage" tube gear and although I don't have any other tube equipment to compare it to, it sounds far better than any SS equipment I've owned (and I've owned a lot)

As for the speakers, the conventional thinking is that a low powered valve amp must be mated with uber efficient speakers, but at "only" 88db the pairing offers the best stereo playback I've ever had.

View attachment 2000389
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I pair my lower watt tube amps with my less sensitive speakers all the time. While the amps won't drive the speakers, some around 84db to 86db, really loud, they do fine for my average listening volumes or near field listening.
 
I have to say that I have had two systems in my life that”blew me away”
Dynaco A-25’s coupled to my AR FM receiver.
KEF Q300’s coupled to my Yamaha A-S500 amplifier

The KEF/Yamaha combo was the best.
I still have the KEF’s but my A-S500 is now in my son-in-law’s recording studio. In my living room, where the KEF’s now reside, the Yamaha R-N 402 internet receiver gets me everything I want to listen to.

I did a review of the KEF’s in the Audiokarma opinions section describing their bass response, if anybody is interested
 
JBL Studio Monitor 4408 coupled to Technics SU-3200 amplifier.

I got this ampifier really cheap, almost a gift from a friend, so I wouldn't refuse it. And it's a low power amp (circa 20W /channel @ 8ohm) so I thought it wasn't a good match for the JBL, also i wouldn't think it would be up to the task in terms of sound quality. To be honest, i bought it to be a nice person to my friend. And then I hooked it to the 4408 just for fun...

Yet, the combination sounds lovely. Can't fault it in any way, at least for near field usage. I'm surprised! It stays there.
 
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