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High value, high efficiency speakers for SET amps

Hi, Gang,
I know that some of what I want to discuss here has been dealt with in other threads, some of them quite old, but I wanted to see if any of you fine, knowledgable folks are willing to help update and consolidate some of this info in a more current thread.
I am currently running my new Audio Note Kit 1 300B SET amp with a pair of Reference 3A De Capo speakers. I think it's a fine pairing and I am really enjoying what the 300B SET experience brings to the table in terms of musicality and emotional connection.
Still the De Capo, while supposedly an easy load due to its crossover-less design (only 1 cap on the tweeter with the mid-woofer directly coupled to the amp), is "only" rated at 92 db efficient, and based on the most recent Canadian NRC specs, that rating may be optimistic.
So, I am toying with the idea of trying a pair of more efficient, deliberately SET-friendly speakers in my rig, something that might also play lower and with greater dynamic swing than the De Capo's. Note that the De Capo's have served me well and I am very fond of them, but I can't help but wonder if my lovely Kit 1 would shine even better coupled to a VERY easy to drive speaker.
Devore and Audio Note are obvious options - the O/96 looks really tasty. Unfortunately, both of those choices are out of my budget, which I'm thinking maxes out (for real) at around $1500. I am willing to consider used equipment.
Tekton Lore 2.0: This is the speaker that Eric Alexander of Tekton has recommended when we've spoken on the phone, based upon my medium-small listening room and amp. I've read the epic "Lore vs. Zu" thread elsewhere in this forum, and clearly Tekton has its enthusiastic fans here. What I wonder is whether the Lore 2.0 has the refinement of the De Capo in terms of resolution, sweet high end and imaging. Audiogon'er Mikirob has pointed me to the many rave reviews of Tekton's speakers and I'm definitely interested.
I've corresponded with the Sonist folks (who are super nice) but their really high-efficiency, nearly-full-range floor stander is out of my budget.
Then there's the "vintage" route, going after some used JBL's or other high-efficiency "classics" from the 80's (or '70's). I am not inclined to go in this direction, but mention it because it's been suggested to me.
And then there's Omega. I spoke to Louis some time ago and he recommended his 7XRS hemp cone model. But I know all the raps on single driver designs and I'm cautious, although I would like to hear from any of you who own or have owned Omega's.
I'm in no rush to make a switch but I am very interested in your thoughts. Thanks, folks!
rebbi
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,374 posts
 
"The question isnt how loud you can play, but at what distortion is at that volume level. "

Its both really in that distortion is a common reason why one might not choose to go louder.

Another way to say it is distortion becomes more of an issue typically at higher volumes often even before clipping sets in.

You might want to hear good things louder but certainly not noise and distortion. Ideally you want to hear none of that, not more as the volume goes up.

Guranteed that in general listening levels can be higher when distortion is lower.
brownsfan
1,508 posts
 
Smctigue and tubegroover. In another thread initiated by threadmaster Rebbi, we did discuss an apparent high sensitivity of the deCapos to synergy with the amp. In my case, I drove the deCapos with the SS Cary amp, and frankly, I couldn't figure out what all the fuss was over the deCapos. Very disappointing. It was a very different scenario with the Franks. The bass response wasn't bad, but certainly suffered in comparison with the TEIIs. In the current discussion, Rebbi is looking for something that "digs deeper." Sounds to me that he also is not enjoying a favorable amp speaker synergy.
Please don't think I am disparaging of the deCapos. I have in fact encouraged Rebbi to keep them until he has substantially more money. And if I did't like them, I would have sold mine long ago.
tubegroover
2,320 posts
 
Oh I don't think you're disparaging the Decapos at all Brownsfan, I was just curious is all as our results are quite different.

Smctique my listening room is 18X20X10 opening to an adjacent 8X12X10 area so it is quite good, if not for that open area I think I would have more problems unless I listened strictly nearfield. The speakers are placed approximately 42" from the front wall to the front of the speaker approximately 6' apart at present. Tube traps are in the corners on the front wall, this eliminated an 80 hz peak and smoothed out the FR at the listening position. I am changing things around so I can further experiment with placement which is CRITICAL with these speakers as I've discovered, a 1/4" here or there on toe in can make changes that can be clearly heard. When dialed in they just snap into focus. I am also using some home brewed traps behind the speaker as I was getting a bit of boom when I first installed them. This has taken care of that issue.

The bass on all the amps I've used in house but not all I've heard with the DeCapos include the First Watt, Berning Zh270, Quicksilver Silver 88 w/kt150 outputs and my current fav with these speakers, my pair of recently restored McIntosh MC-60 amps which I have completely retubed. All the amps present bass in a different way with the speakers but the underlying fact is that the bass is very controlled and resolved with all. Room placement with all monitors in particular and speakers in general is critical but maybe just a bit more with these monitors. My dealer really emphasized this point to me when I purchased them and have I found it to be so true!

The points above I make ONLY to absolve some of the comments made above regarding them being used with low/powered SET amplifiers. I don't care for them with the ss amps I've heard them paired with other than the First Watt which is quite nice.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,374 posts
 
Any speaker or any amp may or may not work out in any case. What matters is long term success ie how many times users have achieved success with a suitable matching. That separates the winners from the losers over the long term.

Rebbi, one thing I wonder is, in hindsight, do you still think the AN was better with the Decapos than the Manleys prior? That surprised me at teh time. My impression is that you found the new amp to have more appeal at teh time but you discovered the shortcomings in teh mating later on.

There are fine speakers I have gotten rid of over the years (B&W, Magnepan, KEF, others) that I wish I had now to try with my current Class D amps which I have found sound the best I have ever had with any speaker I use them with, large or small.
smctigue1
53 posts
 
Tubegroover, thanks for the info. I am in a large area as well. 21' x 24'. Because it is not a shared space I have been free to try many different configurations, some good results, some awful results but never spectacular.

One day on a whim I plugged my room width into the Cardas Calculator and it spit out numbers that I would never had thought to try, 9.5' off of the front wall and 5.5' off of the side wall. That puts the speakers about 10' apart and I am 10'5" away from them, ear to tweeter. SPECTACULAR. I'll echo what you have said about placement. I suspect many people who are constrained by shared spaces or just don't have enough room for experimentation are not hearing their DCs at their best.
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