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Admittedly a bit lost

Folks

I am a long time music lover who is dipping his toes into high end audio for the first time. I have long enjoyed high quality headphones (Sennheiser HD650) and earphones (Etymotics all the time) but have not spent the big bucks (that I don't have) for high-end equipment. :)

However, I have recently acquired a Jolida tube amp (40W output) and am looking for good speakers to pair with them. I intend to go around listening to a bunch of speakers but I need to at least narrow down what sort I should ask my local dealers to have available for me to try. That is what this thread is about.

My constraints are thus:
- My musical tastes run the gamut from classical choral pieces (Bach's cantatas and mass, Arvo Part, Hilliard Ensemble's works etc - i.e. all mid-range frequencies) to experimental electronic music (Autechre, Aphex Twin, Flying Lotus etc - i.e. deep sub-bass and full-frequency spread music with absolutely zero traditional instruments and every sound is synthesized).
- My amp is a 40W tube amp
- I live in an apartment and so listen at volumes ranging from low to moderate.
- My budget for speakers is about $3K (slightly flexible).

With those constraints, my dilemma is that I don't know if I should be trying out high-efficiency speakers or low-efficiency ones? Should I look for 8ohm speakers or 4ohm ones? Something tells me that with low power tube amps, I should be looking at a high efficiency low impedence speaker. However, will that sort of speaker be able to navigate the high speed bass attack of electronic music when driven by an amplifier such as mine?

I am not sure where to begin, so I would really like some advise from folks here. Thank you so much!
badri
phusis's avatar
phusis
1,245 posts
 
Badri --

In light of your circumstances with the Jolida tube amp and stated taste in music comes to mind the moderate to high-ish sensitivity (relative to the sensitivity of typical, direct radiation "hifi" speakers) Pendragon and Enzo XL speakers from Tekton Design, priced at slightly more than $2000/pair. Stereophile's fairly recent review seems to indicate these (the Enzo XL's, and I'm sure the Pendragon's as well, had they been placed on the test bench) are versatile, true full-range speakers:

The Enzos didn't just play Rick Laird's bass notes—they let me feel them. The XLs didn't present to my brain the idea of bass, as all of my small speakers do—they massaged me with expanding wavefronts. There was something unique and extremely natural about the way the Tektons projected bass energy into the room. They got not only the tone, the attack, and the decay, but the plucked-string pulling-up emphasis of the bass player's art. The Enzos did an especially good job of connecting me to the humans making the music.

...

The Enzo XLs gave me 90% of the coherence and joy of my Class A reference speakers, along with at least one additional, deeply gratifying octave of big, live-sounding, pants-flapping, room-filling bass. Unbelievably, they also gave me something like 90% of the accuracy and authority I heard from Wilson Audio's "giant robots" back in the late '80s.

Today, the average price of the speakers listed in "Class A–Full Range" of Stereophile's "Recommended Components" is over $56,000/pair. In that world, the $2100/pair Tekton Enzo XLs are practically free. Based on my reviewing experience, these practically free speakers will get you a satisfyingly big portion of those $50,000 models' performance. Consider this review a thoughtfully considered, heartfelt recommendation. These giant monoliths are great fun!

http://www.stereophile.com/content/tekton-design-enzo-xl-loudspeaker#1hr8TIyzeXJlEe85.97

And no, I have no affiliation with Tekton Design, it just appears they may fit your bill, one way and the other, quite nicely.

Additionally, I'd like to second the comments above made by poster Whart.
melbguy1
1,438 posts
 
@Whart, I guess I have a different constitution. I believe if you post a
thread asking for opinions from members, it is common courtesy to
participate in your thread & reply to posters...if only to thank them for their
input.
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,503 posts
 
Badri....providing that you have a very good headphone amp, you will never get better sound than from your Sennheisers. I have 650's and Entymotics for the Ipod, but truth be told, there are many things that the 650's do that my Vandersteen's don't. That's not to say that I even prefer the earphones...I mainly listen to the speakers since they are a more normal means of listening. ...but in high end terms, earphones provide a higher level of sound....especially since you don't have a large room, or appropriate electronics to accomodate a large Vandersteen, Maggie, (my faves)..etc.
badri OP
69 posts
 
@Melbguy1 - OP has been mostly overwhelmed with the quality and amount of kind & detailed advise he has been getting. After the time delay it takes to get the post reviewed, I only noticed on Monday that this thread had grown into a wonderful treasure trove of information.

@Whart, @ Audiokinesis - I can't believe the amount of time you have taken to provide me the advise you did. Thank you so much for taking the time to do so. Both of your advise also centers on finding the speaker I like more than finding the right speaker for the amp I have right now. I will definitely keep that in mind.

@Whart - thank you for the reading recommendation. I will certainly give that a read.

To all the other people on this thread that have been so generous with your time, I will need to take some time on Saturday to read each of your posts and reply back to each of you. In the meantime, please keep the advise coming. I am literally soaking it all in - at times resorting to jotting down the advise in my notebook so that I remember it. This is - as many people point out - something that appears will take me a little while to decide. So the information will be welcome.
badri OP
69 posts
 
Some other points I should have mentioned is some details on what kind of speakers I have now and where I live - in case that plays a part in your recommendations for dealers.

I have floor standing speakers made by Energy - specifically the C-300. http://www.amazon.com/Energy-Standing-Speaker-Discontinued-Manufacturer/dp/B0012004K8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

I live in San Francisco - in the city. I am currently talking to folks at AudioVisionSF (http://www.audiovisionsf.com/) on California St & Polk St. There are at least a couple of others in the city (and Berkeley) that I think I should hit up.
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