Speaker Advice

[Rockchild]

Based on your situation, I would consider a decent transmission line speaker such as the PMC TwentyFive 22i or if you fancy something cheaper, the easy self build Falcon IMF100. What your class A amp is doing is giving you a taste of texture and midrange clarity which your Focals (as good as they are) can’t fully exploit. It would be easy to recommend Harbeth with your amp as I’ve heard one in my system and was tempted but at the time, funds didn’t allow. 
When you have to get a speaker design past the Mrs, that is always an issue but ultimately don’t sacrifice sound for looks 

 

[tuga]

I would not describe Mission 780SE as studio monitors, I have a pair.

Although you can use them close to a wall, in fact they recommend it to boost the bass.

Maybe some equalisation for your room would be the answer?

I think that the OP perhaps meant "standmounts" when he said "studio monitors" (usually active and very revealing, sometimes very accurate).

 

[tommortr]

I think that the OP perhaps meant "standmounts" when he said "studio monitors" (usually active and very revealing, sometimes very accurate).

Sorry, yes I did mean standmounts. Whilst thinking about Proac D2R [emoji23]


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[tommortr]

Based on your situation, I would consider a decent transmission line speaker such as the PMC TwentyFive 22i or if you fancy something cheaper, the easy self build Falcon IMF100. What your class A amp is doing is giving you a taste of texture and midrange clarity which your Focals (as good as they are) can’t fully exploit. It would be easy to recommend Harbeth with your amp as I’ve heard one in my system and was tempted but at the time, funds didn’t allow. 
When you have to get a speaker design past the Mrs, that is always an issue but ultimately don’t sacrifice sound for looks 

Not [emoji385] are they, the PMC, they do seem to be an option. I see some caution in reviews regarding pairing based on the sensitivity...if the S6 has enough juice,will have to do further reading.
You are right in regards of the texture and clarity of midrange, a word away from my original Cyrus setup, that I hoped could be transformed by the Lavardin. Unfortunately this only tweaked the sound slightly!!!


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[tommortr]

Hi Tom..
Studio monitors are the last thing you need imo.
I hope I'm not patronising you (as you have just begun on here I dont know anything about your hifi history), (please forgive if I am), but the key to a good match here is your amp.
Ive just read a review of the Unison S6 and I see its got 3 EL34s a side - very unusual (its usually one or two a side). Its a push pull therefore and so DOES have a bit of power available (35w claimed) but not that much. Speakers with big bass drivers and complex crossovers  and variable impedance make great demands on amps and their current delivery. Bigger speakers are easier to drive by and large but when I think of studio monitors I think big solid state amps that double their current delivery into low impedance loads.
By contrast valve amps' transformers get saturated in such circumstances and bass suffers.
In a room where you could pull the speakers out I would have gone for Living Voice Auditoriums ( e.g., their 'Avatar) which are known to be and designed to be 'valve-friendly'.
In your case we have to rule those out.
My speakers would be ideal, but they are rare and a kit build. They are Jantzen TQWT ( a rearloaded horn that needs corner or near wall placement). Ive never seen another built pair up for sale (I paid £700+). Odeon Rigolettos are the same design and there was a pair knocking around the classifieds here for a while. Triangle speakers like valves and I have had their Antals (ESW) and they would be great. Forget the reviews about their 'brightness' - Antals would work very well indeed with the Lush S6.
There are others that would suit. I didnt like the Heresys I heard though they are high efficiency and that is the type of speaker you should be going for - 90 db/w and above.
My advice is to trawl through the High Efficiency Speaker forums - you want an even impedance curve without big drops and dips and high efficiency and near room boundary placement. Maybe look at the Wigwam info from prominent Wammers (found under their avatars) and see what speakers they are using with their low powered valve amps. Not 845 valve amps as they are designed for grunt.
You have a sweet little amp there - dont overface it and you will have a lovely combo.
Zu Audio, Snell E's and J's, and Audionote (E's and J's) come to mind as suitable candidates.
Jack

Thanks for your input, looks like I need to do a lot more research. Not a problem really as I have kit to move on in order to fund improvements.
I will do as you and others have suggested and start collating a long list.
Interestingly the Heresys appear to garner admiration or loathing in equal measure, but of a marmite speaker.
I will post a picture of my layout to demonstrate the restrictions on placement!


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[tuga]

Thanks for your input, looks like I need to do a lot more research. Not a problem really as I have kit to move on in order to fund improvements.
I will do as you and others have suggested and start collating a long list.
Interestingly the Heresys appear to garner admiration or loathing in equal measure, but of a marmite speaker.
I will post a picture of my layout to demonstrate the restrictions on placement!


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The latest Heresys have a much more refined (less bright) tonal balance, but they're ported and may or may not work as well against the wall.

 

[plasticpenguin]

Having moved in April of last year from solid state ( Lavardin C42 & Cyrus monoblocks) to the rather sublime Unison Research S6. I wanted to live with the system for a while to see if any improvements could be made.

Currently my sources are a Mitchell Gyrodec/P10 and a Cambridge Audio Azur 851 n.

Due to the nature of my listening room, the speakers have to sit very close to back wall, but are a meter from side walls. Room dimensions are 3.5 meters by 6.2 meters, speakers are on the narrower wall. Listening tends to be at the far end of the room, around 5 meters away.

I currently have Focal Chorus 816v as they are front and bottom ported and an easy load for the amp to drive, but wonder if a studio monitor would be a good move I.e Proac , Sonus Faber or Opera. My music tastes are varied.

I initially had studio monitors albeit the humble Mission 780se and later Mission 750’s, before I felt the irresistible need to move to floorstanders in the form of Leema Xones. I always felt I lost something more intimate from the music in moving from standmounts....but perhaps that’s nostalgia/ and unreliable memory!!

Many thanks in advance for any advice!

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Wilson Benesch are a good place to start. Work great with tube and Class A amps.

 

[rabski]

People have already covered most of the options that I know. I would take PMCs off the list personally. Regardless of tastes in terms of sound, I've never heard any PMC work well without a fair bit of current delivery.

The design of the S6 is slightly unusual. It's effectively a parallel signle ended I believe, and runs pure class A. What that means is that it won't ever push into hard clipping at high volume, but it does also mean that the distortion it procuces will increase linearly with the output. In other words, it may well max at 35 watts per channel, but it will be way more sweet and comfortable a lot below this. In turn that means to get the best out of it, you need speakers with higher efficiency. I would suggest anything less than 90dB rated should come straight off the list, and I'd personally want at least 94dB or more.

Standmounts may be a problem here, as most do like a bit more power to properly come alive.

 

[Juancho]

Hi Tom..

Studio monitors are the last thing you need imo.

.Ive just read a review of the Unison S6 and I see its got 3 EL34s a side - very unusual (its usually one or two a side). Its a push pull therefore and so DOES have a bit of power available (35w claimed) but not that much. 

Just a point of fact: this amp is parallel single ended NOT push pull. It will have less bass control / grunt than a push pull so efficient speakers will work best

 

[Non-Smoking Man]

Thankyou Richard and David for correcting me re the S6 being a parallel single ended design. (I had a Korato that was similar, using EL84s, only 2 a side.)

In which case my comments about suitable speakers apply in spades.

Jack

 

[Non-Smoking Man]

Sorry, yes I did mean standmounts. Whilst thinking about Proac D2R


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Ah...that is quite different. But I stand by the crux of my argument about what type of speakers would work with the S6.

Jack

 

[Non-Smoking Man]

Doh, I should have realised that with 3 output valves a side it couldnt be PP as PP requires an even number of valves a side. :doh:

 

[tommortr]

This is my setup with restrictions


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[tommortr]

And towards the front


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[tommortr]

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[Rockchild]

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Your seriously missing the imagery. They need to be at least two metres apart, into the room a bit. I can see why you have the issues, also, if the sound is slightly splashy, get a rug on that lovely floor. Nice system tho
show us the rest of the room so we can see what else to suggest 

 

[tommortr]

Many thanks to all, I will reset my parameters in looking for an upgrade path for my speakers.
I do want to build on the texture of the midrange the S6 offers.
Any thoughts on Opera speakers, which are recommended as a natural partner for Unison Research, not least as they are manufactured by the same company.


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[tommortr]

From my listening position [emoji51]

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[garn63]

Bookshelf spkrs even on a bracket on the wall ( tilt & swivel) ?   Probably improve the sound projected rather than floorstanders ?  Try to part your spkrs a couple of foot more maybe.  Good luck ! M.

 

[Rockchild]

I think until you perhaps have tried your speakers in the optimum position, don’t change them.. ideally, if the speakers are either side of the fire and the equipment where the speakers are, that would be a good start.