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Speaker Suggestions for 300b SET Amp

I built an Elekit 8600 300b set amp recently.  It's amazing. I maxed out upgrades (all Takman resistors, Mundorf top end caps, solder/wiring, etc.).  It's a wonderful amp. It cost me $2k to build it and it's glorious.


My issue hasn't been the amp, but finding speakers that I want to use with it.  


I started with Omega XRS 8 Juniors (~$2k). I broke them in for 300 hours and, while they did get better, they largely sounded like the top and bottom ends were just truncated off at both ends the sound spectrum. They sounded more akin to a transistor radio speaker. I feel terrible to say that and I hope others really love them and hear them differently, as the company is great and the owner is wonderful. They just weren't for me.


So, I just paired the 300b up with some inefficient speakers (both KEF LS50s and Wharfedale 80th anniversary Dentons). Both speakers were part of other systems I have.  Both sets, and especially the cheaper Wharfedales, just sing with the 300b.  They do not play particularly loud given their efficiency ratings, yet they sound wonderful for very close nearfield listening. 


But what I'd like to do is go a bit more into the full range speaker category without buying a massive product. Or, I consider a smaller bookshelf/monitor if it were more efficient.


What speakers do folks like with their 300bs?  


128x128jbhiller
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
What a very nice bonus to get the 2 recordings and especially those two jazz giants and particularly from that era. You re right,  some mono recordings from the early 1950s were well done. The Had amplifier with Heresy speakers seems to be a very good   match 
Charles 
mg16's avatar
mg16
118 posts
 
Ditch the the lower octaves of bass, and let the 300b drive a medium efficiency speaker of your choice from 125-150 hz. On up. Do this by using a 4th order active xover unit, and subwoofer. I used a 300b amp with 89 db. Infinity Qb's with ribbon tweeters, and cut off everything from 150 hz. On down from the 300b. A Hsu subwoofer took over the bass from 150 hz. On down to about 30hz. It was amazing sounding. Relieving the 300b of producing low bass, allowed it to play at a reasonable volume, cleanly. Would probably sound even better with some better 88-90 db. Bookshelves of your choice, but the Infinitys and 300b filled the room wall to wall and front to back with "your are there experience." Etched in my brain is a day listening to so called "ambient music" with this. At one point in the "song", My room became the Amazon jungle, and I was surrounded by jungle noises, bird calls etc. A very ethereal experience, and no, I wasn't tripping or on drugs.
rickraymond59's avatar
rickraymond59
31 posts
 
I am using Zu Soul Superfly speakers with my Audion 300b and rarely turn the volume past 9 o’clock. Very nice match. Looking to add a Border Patrol DAC to upgrade the digital side for a warmer analog sound. 

Rick
servocharge
5 posts
 
Goldmund Dialogues, possibly available used.  In fact these speakers never sounded as great as they did being driven by SETs, in my case Wavelengths.  Marvelous mids and top end with very rhythmic extended bass, far superior to even Goldmund's own electronics.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
The Goldmund Dialogue has a reputation for being highly resolving yet natural in character.  In my experience this type of speaker exploits the most of what a good quality SET amplifier has to offer.  SETs  need very  good quality resolving speakers to fully uncover the musical  beauty and nuance available. 
Charles 
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