2. amps-preamps
  3. 133413-18279

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
atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,841 posts
 
Having researched this issue myself now for quite a while, if I were running a SET and looking for good sounding HE speakers to match on a budget, that can play ANY kind of music well, Klipsch Heresy III, hands down, easy decision. These were originally designed for flea powered tubes amps of the day ~ 50 years ago and are still around (track record) and the latest versions I’ve heard sound wonderful, none of the bad things one often hears from audiophiles about high efficiency horns apply. See the various online reviews for more evidence of this.
The throat and overall shape of the horn is essential to it working properly; these days computer modeling should have sorted out any anomalies that caused by past errors in this part of the design. Thus modern horns should be as smooth and revealing as any other speaker technology. 



charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Mapman,
Interesting recommendation of the Klipsch Hersey. Wolf Garcia has waxed poetically on this forum about this speaker and how well it has mated with his low watt Had SEP amplifier. I tend to get the impression that it provides suitable refinement and tonality (I haven’t heard it).

It seems it would be a possible competitor to the Tekton Double Impact which I have heard with my SET amplifier. It was a very good sounding match. I can attest to the fact that it was easily driven by my 8 watt amplifier.
Charles
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,300 posts
 
Charles I have only heard it so far at a dealer off a decent quality A/V receiver and was very impressed with that. These are very versatile and affordable speakers with a long and strong track record. The hifi magazine reviewers even seem to reach that same conclusion these days.

They are top contenders for next speaker to try with my 60 w/ch Class D digital amp. Their versatility to go different ways down the road as needed is a big plus.

I heard the double impacts at CAF last year off a very good quality 10 w/ch tube amp and liked what I heard. Those are much bigger with a different aesthetic and a bit more costly perhaps.

For bass extension, you might want to add a sub with Heresy whereas less likely with double impact.

However, large speakers with bass extension are usually much harder to get set up just right for best possible bass in many rooms. I tend to like the smaller speaker + sub approach better for that, especially when low power main amps are in play in larger rooms.  The Tekton room at CAF was not large, about the size of your typical Marriot hotel room.

Both very viable choices I would say. It all depends.
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Mapman,
I appreciate your comments.  The Hersey is a modest size speaker, did you here it on speaker stands or placed on the floor with its risers that allows tilt back? Given their short height does the sound stage seem lower(floor level) or was the perception in line with typical floor standing speakers?
Charles 
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,300 posts
 
charles,


On floor on the tilted risers, close to front corners of the room.

A tad lower overall perhaps but not necessarily less realistic sounding than otherwise.

I use similar low profile stands with tilt (IsoAcoustics) with my smaller monitors in some rooms in my house already, as well as ear level stands in others. Both can work fine. Like most things in hifi it all depends.

With the Heresy low riser stands (not isolating as far as I know) floor interactions fattening the bass and obscuring detail might be a issue in some cases, like with many floor standers and even some monitors with stands and common suspended plywood floors, but an isolation platform underneath the risers would easily take care of that, like with a subwoofer, if needed.  This did not seem to be an issue in the dealer's showroom however.
More to discover