What Sensitivity with Tube Components?

I've been told that my 89db (sensitivity) B&W speakers will not work all that well with tubes and that at best, speakers should have at least a 90-91db sensitivity to used with tubes.

wcc10  - curious to know where you heard something like that ?  

It depends. you need to provide more info.
Which B&W speakers (model);  how big is your room and how are speakers placed in the room; How far away do you sit from them and how loud is it (average)  ?

Do you listen to all music genres or any specific ones ? 

If you can answer those questions I can make some suggestions. 

Cheers 



 
 

Thanks for the replies,
B&W CM6s speakers (for now)
Speakers situated on solid bookcase/cabinet about 7 feet apart right to left. Listening position about 7 feet from speaker position. I listen loud enough to hear it! (no distortion!!)
Room is about 24x24 feet with banks of windows on two sides.

Listen to a lot of Blues/Adult Rock, some Jazz and some Classical.

Look forward to any suggestions.

24 x 24 room - nice....
On a bookcase - against the wall ? 
are one or both speakers along one bank of windows ?
CM6s2 ?  like these 

http://www.u-audio.com/shopimages/gmosp156/0000000045302.jpg

what are you looking to improve upon and whats the current amp? 

About 6 inches from rear wall both speaker have clear field horizontally. Windows are about 3-5 feet from speakers.
Current Amp/Receiver is Yamaha R-S700.
Yes, speakers like those.
I have decent cables but system sound "bright" to me. Granted, there is room for improvement all the way around. Looking for more "warmth."
You can see, this is a "budget" system compared to many. I'm open to suggestions.

Those speakers are extra hard to drive - inefficient - due to the small box and B&W trying to make more bass with it.

B&W Manual
88dB spl (2.83V, 1m) its not a straight 88db spl (1.00v, 1m) comparison.
So they are actually worse.
Do the windows have curtains ? if so have you tried closing them.
The manual also says they need to be at least .5 meters 1.6 feet from the back wall and side walls.
A Big TV between them makes it worse too - not sure if that is the case. 

Your amp makes 100 watts at 8 ohms. and only 120 watts at 6 ohms. Your speakers go down to 3 ohms to make their bass.
The speakers are making your amp struggle imo with the bass. This throws off the tonal balance. Makes the speaker therefore sound bright.

If you buy a SS amp make sure the specs show doubling going down - 100 wpc 8 ohms, 200 wpc 4 ohms.
if you buy a tube amp makes sure it has 4 ohm connectors on the back.
I would go with as many watts as you can afford which ever way you decide to go.
important.
try to bring the amp home for trial. if you can't do that bring your speakers to the store and listen there set up as close as possible to your home.

my 2 cents.