Recommend Speakers For Yamamoto

You are going to need a high efficiency speaker with a low powered SET amp. I don't know about the B&W or JM Labs speakers, but I don't think they are going to be efficient enough to work with a 45 SET amp. It is going to depend on your room size and volume requirements, but I think you are going to need speakers of 94db efficiency or better. I'm sure that you will get recommendations that you only look at speakers that are about 100db or more efficient.

I'm currently listening to a speaker built around the HempAcoustics FR8.0DIY driver. It is a high efficiency full range drive. The speakers are excellent for most types of music and they play very loud with my 3.5 watt 2A3 SET amps.

Good luck. If this is your first venture into SET land, you are probably in for a treat!

Enjoy,

TIC

Seriously, you're kidding right?

The A-08S puts out only 2 watts at full-on maximum output. At that point, the amp is pumping a lot of distortion. In the real world, you're probably looking at 1-1.5 watts allowing for headroom.

My speakers are 97dB efficient (with no crossover) and that's not enough power for most listening in my room. At least not with complex or demanding music.

The B&W CM1's are 84dB 2-way configuration. There is no way the A-08S is going to drive those at all. Not to anyone's satisfaction. B&W, itself, states the minimum power for them is 30W.

The JM Lab Micro Utopia's are only a little better at 89dB.

Low powered SET's are really intended for high-efficiency speakers. Neither speaker you are considering qualifies as such. Not even close.

Please consider speakers of 97dB or greater efficiency as a minimum for your A-08S. Crossover-less single-driver or compression horns are your best bet.

Horn speakers would usually work well. Here are a few companies that make them: Avantgarde, Zu, JBL, Tannoy, Acapellas.