Calling all SET fans


What is the least expensive, aka cheapest speaker available
that will do a decent job on classical chamber music on 3-8
watts ?
schubert
Schubert,
If your friend had issues with the Tekton I can understand your hesitance reservations. Mikirob, Brownsfan and I have very similar taste, so when one of them is enthusiastic about a product it gets my attention. There's a very long thread comparing Zu Omen and Tekton in the audiogon archives.
Best of sucess to you in your search.
Charles,
Never heard these speakers but the Birch Acoustics Sparrow on AudiogoN MIGHT fit the bill ... 4" full range driver in a a laminated birch cabinet. Very attractive build (IMHO) and a nice price ($380). Claimed 87db efficiency but no crossover so should be an easy drive. Hopefully someone who has heard them will chime in!
Schubert - when you had your Omegas, were you using a low-powered SET amp to drive them? IMO, that's what the single-driver thing is really about. I remember a friend's system with Zu speakers - I was not very impressed when driven by the big 60-watt Cary monoblocks, but the magic happened when we hooked up the 2-watt Yamamoto. Really not enough power for the Zu's, but you could definitely hear the beauty come through.
I used various amps I had at the time ,smallest was a low powered bottleneck I borrowed to use with my

bottleneck pre, I think it was about 5 watts but no set of course.
But I've heard the 4 " Fostex many times in many systems, the upper mids are just plain rough ,at least the way my ears work. They can be overall OK, but the hemp drivers Omega uses
now are far better .
I've never hears a real SET rig, as least as far as I can remember .


Smallest amp I used was a bottleneck , I had a bottleneck pre at the time . I think it was about 5 watts but no set of course.
But I've heard the 4 " Fostex many times in many systems, the upper mids are just plain rough ,at least the way my ears work. They can be overall OK, but the hemp drivers Omega uses
now are far better .
I've never hears a real SET rig, as least as far as I can remember .
I'm leaning to have Sean at ZU make me a used Omen for classical on that $999 "Dirty" deal they have on their website . Not least because the ZU Event wire I have is VERY good . And I enjoy the placement fuss the Omens seem to require .