What speakers are you running with your valve amp

Non-Smoking Man

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I suppose I should contribute to this as I specialise in this kind of pairing and a fair bit of experience.

1. A multiway horn system is asking for SETs on the tops and midrange - nothing new there as we all know about this (see my thread for more background). I would go as far as putting a PP valve amp using say 6L6 or KT88 or EL34s, or an 845 on the midbass as its a vintage Vitavox AK157 which I cut off at 60 Hz (its own bottom limit is 40-45 Hz) and only handles 50w. As stated above I wouldnt dream of using valves on the subs - its current all the way with those and preferably something that doubles into 4 ohms (a sign of a stout power supply).

2. Floorstanders - the extra capacity (over standmounts) of the cab helps with efficiency and you want something with a kind impedance - something that doesnt drop much below 8 ohms, such as the WAD KLS9 kit speaker that's been doing the Bake Off circuit in the South so successfully. That was designed by a valve amp manufacturer of course and its been paired with a PP WAD amp and a Prima Luna KT120 paralleled PP amp in recent weeks. The KLS9 is a reflex speaker, but ..
My Jantzen TQWT is a rearloaded horn and closely resembles a number of fullrange designs that use Mark Audio, Lowther etc drivers. The Jantzen are very valve amp friendly having an efficiency of upwards of 94 db/w.

3. My horn system is active, using analogue electronic XOs, but the Avantgarde range are interesting as a passive (though the sub bass may be active) speaker. I need to listen to some of these and, of course, the Cessaros (though I may need to get to Munich for those).

Jack
 
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Psilonaught

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As stated above I wouldnt dream of using valves on the subs - its current all the way with those and preferably something that doubles into 4 ohms (a sign of a stout power supply).
agreed, I see no point in using any valves for bass duty in an active system. I am all for valves, given I use 52 in my system, but I use cold to touch class A/B amps for my bass panels.
 

dave

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Pentodes just don't sound as good as a good triode amp that's the problem, in my experience.
I agree in the absolute sense in principle, but it is my observation that my ns1000s case, they are happier with a (6l6) low THD SE pentode with feedback, amplifier, than my 2A3 with no feedback (higher THD and output impedance).
With the Pentode they sound more clean and snappy, where as with the 2A3 it is nice, but a bit soggy overall. It would be quite possible to build a muscular triode amp with no feedback and a low output impedance, and that would probably fair better, or just wrap feedback round the whole thing would level the playing field a bit.
I feel it is about "synergy" or in more engineering terms getting a harmonious match between speaker and amp.

In your interesting OTL adventure, I would suggest it would be a fairer to compare you atmosphere to a pentode OTL, rather than a transformered pentode PP, which by its transformered PP nature has one arm tied behind its back in comparison. IMO a well sorted OTL, although a complete horrible energy guzzling compromise, when working properly is up there with the be about as good as you can get.
 

Psilonaught

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IMO a well sorted OTL, although a complete horrible energy guzzling compromise, when working properly is up there with the be about as good as you can get.

yeah my OTLs consume 800w each at full power 😭 Worth it however, they are considerably better sounding that my already excellent sounding pentode monoblocks.
 

THOMO

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I agree in the absolute sense in principle, but it is my observation that my ns1000s case, they are happier with a (6l6) low THD SE pentode with feedback, amplifier, than my 2A3 with no feedback (higher THD and output impedance).
With the Pentode they sound more clean and snappy, where as with the 2A3 it is nice, but a bit soggy overall. It would be quite possible to build a muscular triode amp with no feedback and a low output impedance, and that would probably fair better, or just wrap feedback round the whole thing would level the playing field a bit.
I feel it is about "synergy" or in more engineering terms getting a harmonious match between speaker and amp.

In your interesting OTL adventure, I would suggest it would be a fairer to compare you atmosphere to a pentode OTL, rather than a transformered pentode PP, which by its transformered PP nature has one arm tied behind its back in comparison. IMO a well sorted OTL, although a complete horrible energy guzzling compromise, when working properly is up there with the be about as good as you can get.
The NS1000 woofers have a low Qts which means they will never be optimal in a sealed box.They really belong in a much larger vented box.I know a bloke who built new ported cabinets for his and reckons they sound much better.
 

dave

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The NS1000 woofers have a low Qts which means they will never be optimal in a sealed box. They really belong in a much larger vented box. I know a bloke who built new ported cabinets for his and reckons they sound much better.
Yes, I suspect that is why they loosen up a bit with a lower damping factor, and it is not that unpleasant in moderation.
 

Non-Smoking Man

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A recent visit to my mate Speedracer to listen to his recently acquired Mark Audio Alpair-loaded Pensil floorstanders, found me totally seduced - the Line Magnetic drove the 92 db/w Pensils with consummate ease and the Emoto ribbon supertweeters provided a little extra 'snow' above 15KHz. Lovely..a few quick demo tracks confirmed their sound quality.

Brook's wife had stepped in, 'on', his ambitions to keep them, however, and it was left to me to, er, rescue them and find a new home for them at Hifi Central, the house Lurch and I share in Chichester.

They will suit me well and I've been wanting to try this full range driver for a while. It remains to be seen if I will still need the subs, but the Jantzen TQWTs, which have served me so well for the last few years, will have to make way. Both the Jantzens and the Pensils (recently in the Classifieds) are really well suited to a valve amp of modest power.

The Jantzens I will be sad to see go, but as someone near me at the time said - what do you need 3 pairs of speakers for..?

Jack

Added: I've been looking more closely at the Mark Audio Alpair 12S driver. Its nominally a 'full range' driver but the driver specs show a drop off at 100 Hz with a steepening slope. Its not clear to me if this is just the driver or driver-in-cabinet. Either way, despite apparently adequate bass on the listening experience, they are going to need subwoofer support. Just as luck would have it I have a pair of 18" infinite baffle subs already in situ!
The Alpairs dont have wizzers and have good hi frequency extension, but they could do with that supertweeter which comes in at 15Khz.
So, are they (the Pensils) a wide band MIDRANGE speaker? Yes. (But in a good way..)
 
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Matball

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I have been using Sonus Fabers for years , and they are friendly with tube amplifiers (I tried 5881/6L6, KT88, 845, KT150)
 

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Hello. I am researching for my next speakers to run with my Ming da MC34A 38 watt push pull valve amplifier. My shortlist so far involves Alchris Audio and kits from Wilmslow Audio including the WA TL3 plus and Vogue Classic. I don't want to spend more than 2K. The room is 6 metres across and 3 metres deep, with the speakers firing across the 3metres at one end. I would imagine a larger speaker with higher sensitivity and impedance of 8 ohms would be better, especially as the volume will never pass moderately loud. I do not believe in using sub woofers, so the speaker needs to go low with control. Of those of you who have valve amps, what speakers to you have?
It sounds like you do need speakers with high efficiency to have any chance of low bass with your amplifier. Tannoys, Klipsch. Fine Audio (havent checked their efficiency but presume theyre similar to Tannoys).
 

toms wait

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I am/will be/willan haven been running a much improved turbo-ed Audio Innovations 500 with Jantzen Gravesen TQWT, when the amp arrives home after the surgery.
 
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toms wait

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I guess, willan haven been, it is an obscure quote from Hitchhikers Guide.
It is tenses to deal with time travel and how to describe things you've done but not yet gone forward in time to do etc. The future perfect tense is abandoned as it was realised not to be!

Sorry I am a HHGTTG freak!!!
 

Juancho

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If you want to spend around £2k you won't do better than Wilmslow Prestiges. I had mine configured with Monacor bass units to save a bit, built them myself and had them sprayed silver at a local bass shop. I drove them with a 300b pp amp with very decent bass.

I've had to spend considerably more to better them. Don't believe those naysayers who say you can't get decent bass with valve amps. My 805, 845 or kt 120 monoblocks can shake the neighbourhood with either my 90db Troel's Gravesen or Klipsch Cornwall speakers.
 

hearhere

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Just to throw a rather large spanner in the works, can I ask why you want to keep using valve amps?

I'm taking cover as I write this, but I used valve SETs for 17 years after buying my first Avantgarde horn speakers. I was more than happy listening to mainly 845 and PX-25 based amps. It was just the done thing - valves and horns are a blessed combination aren't they?

Because of the high maintenance and running costs of valve amps and my change of circumstances that would mean I'd be listening for many more hours per day, I started considering the unforgivable idea of switching to solid state amplification. I bought or borrowed 12 amps of various types and Classes before deciding that I could equal or even possibly better my SETs by a switch. No regrets after 3 years of using (shut your eyes and ears) a Class D amplifier. Now, with escalating electricity prices, I’m even smugger – my entire hi-fi system plus 65” TV on standby and router gollop no more than 60 watts even at high listening levels!
 

audio_PHIL_e

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I guess, willan haven been, it is an obscure quote from Hitchhikers Guide.
It is tenses to deal with time travel and how to describe things you've done but not yet gone forward in time to do etc. The future perfect tense is abandoned as it was realised not to be!

Sorry I am a HHGTTG freak!!!
You are Dr Streetmentioner and I claim my £5
 

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