Recommendations Wanted


Hello All,

Would like everyone’s opinion on speaker replacement as I feel it is the weak link in my system. Currently I am running a McIntosh 240 amplifier, Fisher CX-2 preamplifier, and a Linn Sondek turntable. Speakers are B&W 703 S1 and 90 db efficient from about 2009.

Sometimes the system will create that magic and disappear in the room, but mostly not. I listen at  7 feet away in a 16x22x10 room. My choice of music is jazz lp’s and some lighter rock lp’s. I occasionally like to listen at higher volumes so somewhat efficient speakers may be best. This especially since I only have 40wpc of tube power. The budget is 5k new or used.

Thanks,

Rob

thermionicemission

Put the speakers against the short wall firing into the longest room dimension.

 

Play with setback against the front wall.

 

Make sure the front third if the room is acoustically treated.

 

Heavy rug between you and the speakers

 

If you can, place speakers on a rug also.

 

Remove as much hard,  reflecting surfaces from the room

.

 

Tektons do sound good driven but tube gear but due to the low impedance, they are never as efficient in room as you would think, particularly with tube amps.  It is reflective of the standard used to calculate SPL ratings, nothing they are doing.  Just something to be aware of.  
 

I might look at something like the Scansonic MB3.5 B.   The ribbon tweeter behaves differently and creates a more immersive experience in a more traditional speaker design.  This is a ribbon tweeter thing rather than just scansonic.  AMTs can deliver a similar experience but tend to drift a hair brighter though this is not universally true.  

One thing that would help the respondents is to know what it is in your current speakers/system you define as deficient.  Without that, we're shooting in the dark with respect to recommendations.  (In general, though, 40wpc is pretty weak for most B&W's.)