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Electrostatics and tubes

I am looking to get some new to me speakers,  I've been looking at options and would really like to try a set of planars "electrostatics".  I have read or heard somewhere that as far as speakers go they tend to be inefficient (85 to 89) vs.90+(db) on the Klipsch or Dali's I've been tossing around as a standard speaker option. I guess my question is would I need to worry about any over heating issues. I plan on using plenty of power with a set of VTA, M-125's to power them. I am looking at a lower budget set maybe Martin Logan ESL 9's or Magnepan 2.7i .    Just wondering I would hate to over heat a few hundred dollars worth of tubes if I don't need to.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  don't roast me to bad I cry easy wink  thanks.    

128x128hotrod6871
russ69's avatar
russ69
3,421 posts
 

I found that the newer ML ESL are very efficient. I had no trouble running my EM ESLs with a 25 or 45 watt tube amp. On the other hand Magneplaners need real power. I ran those with a Parasound A21 after trying a couple of tube amps. Magnepan doesn't demonstrate with tubes amps for good reason.

fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,537 posts
 

Mags aren't stats.  They sound different.

hotrod6871's avatar
hotrod6871 OP
3 posts
 

@russ69 

Well that is part of why I stated I would be using M-125's, I decided to go with the 125 watt mono blocks. not because of wanting ear splitting loud but to just have the power if needed,  I've always felt that it's better to have and not need over need the power and not have it.  Obviously a 125w tube amp is no match to the power that Parasound puts out. 

immatthewj
1,794 posts
 

I remember some discussions I was having with someone on another forum (he was helping me troubleshoot a tube amp) and he told me that he has electrostatic speakers (I seem to remember he said that they were "true electrostatic speakers" and that they each had to be plugged into an outlet, I think maybe he said that they were "Quads"?), anyway, he was using an ARC (tubed) 70 wpc stereo amp to drive them with and he was quite pleased with the system.  He referred to it as "holographic."

upshift
73 posts
 

If you are considering Martin Logans, the place to check is:

https://www.martinloganowners.com/

Lots of in detail discussions on what types of amps to use.

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