Speakers for tubes

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KeithR

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In my recent speaker auditions and after reading numerous JA measurements, I've discovered that there aren't many tube-friendly speakers out there. Look at this "hot" list of speakers below (created off the top of my head):

Magico
YG Acoustics
Rockport
Vivid
TAD
Revel
Raidho
Wilson (Alexia and Sasha)

These speakers for the most part mandate SS amplification. Even some of the latest Wilsons are more difficult to drive- which wasn't the case years ago. What tube-friendly speakers are out there these days- Focal and Sonus Faber?
 
Keith...here are some prior threads on similar subject that will give you a lot of ideas:

http://audioshark.org/speakers-10/best-high-efficiency-speaker-money-5526.html
http://audioshark.org/speakers-10/recommended-high-efficiency-speaker-3-watts-tube-amp-6239.html

A good article on this from 6Moons.com from 2005: 6moons.com - industry features: Too set against S.E.T. to forget? Part 3.

Exerpted from the article above are speaker brands that are tube-friendly with some of my additions:


Audiokinesis
Audio Note
Auditorium 23
Avantgarde Acoustic
Cain & Cain (all models)
Coincident Speaker Technology
Decware
DeVore Fidelity
Horning Hybrid
Klipsch LaScala
Living Voice
Merlin Music Systems
Nola Audio
Omega Loudspeaker Systems
Proac Response and Tablette monitors
Reference 3A (all models)
Rethm (all models)
Shindo Latour
Spendor (select models)
Tannoy Classic Line
Triangle Acoustique (most models)
Zu Audio (all models).
Vaughn
Verity Audio
Volti Vittori

I am sure many others as well but this should be a good list to start with.

Here's another thread from Agon on similar subject: http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1412183505&openflup&36&4
 
Cyril- yeah, I know most of the small guys. I was just speaking generally speaking at the larger production manufacturers that seem to be well reviewed in TAS/Stereophile. Tannoy I guess is one other.
 
It all depends on how many watts too. A 10 watt tube amp will drive a few speakers, a 100 watt tube amp will drive most of them.
 
Keith...I actually don't think SF and Focal are especially tube-friendly. You would need a minimum of 60wpc but preferably at least 100wpc tube amp with overbuilt power supply to match up with many of their models. Just my 2c.

I am assuming you are not considering DeVore as being a "hot" speaker name but that is one to consider for sure. Great speakers.
 
NOLA - now there is a nice tube friendly speaker and they're made from God's material! :S
 
I am no great tube proponent but I have heard just about every Wilson driven by tubes that sound just fine and I have heard several of the Magico's that come across nicely too. If you are not a SS individual there is no reason to discount most of those brands outright. Use your ears not a review. Haven't paid attention to the others you listed so I can't comment.
 
cmalak said:
Keith...I actually don't think SF and Focal are especially tube-friendly. You would need a minimum of 60wpc but preferably at least 100wpc tube amp with overbuilt power supply to match up with many of their models. Just my 2c.

I am assuming you are not considering DeVore as being a "hot" speaker name but that is one to consider for sure. Great speakers.
Click to expand...

by tube-friendly, I usually mean that a 100w stereo amp is ok to drive it- and not massive tetrode VTLs/Hurricanes/etc. I would agree that SF and Focal aren't as easy to drive as some may think.

I am indeed auditioning the Devore Gibbon X upon release :) John Devore has taken forever to release this speaker. I have already heard the Orangutan and it wasn't for me.
 
Keith...have you also listened to the DeVore Silverbacks? Also worthy of your consideration. It will be interesting to compare the Silverbacks to the X, given the X will be his most recent new speaker.
 
still-one said:
I am no great tube proponent but I have heard just about every Wilson driven by tubes that sound just fine and I have heard several of the Magico's that come across nicely too. If you are not a SS individual there is no reason to discount most of those brands outright. Use your ears not a review. Haven't paid attention to the others you listed so I can't comment.
Click to expand...

Jim- I was a Wilson Sophia owner for quite some time and ran it on a BAT VK75SE. Great sound. I've also heard the X1s and X2 numerous times on tube amps including Lamm.

But the new Sasha and Alexia must require more power (particularly the latter)- both Stereophile reviewers and corresponding measurements seem to speak that way as well. YMMV.
 
cmalak said:
I am assuming you are not considering DeVore as being a "hot" speaker name but that is one to consider for sure. Great speakers.
Click to expand...

I have heard the Gibbon 3 XL minimonitors in my system. Nice and dynamic, but too colored, you could clearly hear the wood cabinet. No match for my 24-year old Ensemble Reference minimonitors which are, I'll concede, the more expensive speakers if you adjust for inflation.

Perhaps other DeVore models have less coloration.
 
KeithR said:
In my recent speaker auditions and after reading numerous JA measurements, I've discovered that there aren't many tube-friendly speakers out there. Look at this "hot" list of speakers below (created off the top of my head):

Magico
YG Acoustics
Rockport
Vivid
TAD
Revel
Raidho
Wilson (Alexia and Sasha)

These speakers for the most part mandate SS amplification. Even some of the latest Wilsons are more difficult to drive- which wasn't the case years ago. What tube-friendly speakers are out there these days- Focal and Sonus Faber?
Click to expand...

The cjs drive the S5s just fine thank you.
 
There's Tidal.

TIDAL - true high end loudspeakers

I've friends with Tidals and 30W tube amps, and they love'em so much that they've moved up within their line.

Evolution Acoustics are also not punishing for tubes, being mostly 7-9 ohm. Heard the MMthrees with Air Tight tube amps, and it was glorious. Soon we'll have ours with the Audiopax 100W monos.

alexandre
 
Alexandre - a friend of mine who's quite a speaker designer felt the Tidal's were the best speaker at Axpona and the new Tidal's to be announced at Munich will have a diamond tweeter and mid.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
btw, in no way am I disparaging any speaker or amplifier design out there- just an observation. it seems like most of the en vogue speakers are more SS oriented.
 
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