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?
+1 Coincident +1 Reference 3A GR Research Super V - The Super-V has 97db sensitivity and is an easy 8 ohm load. They can be driven easily with even the lowest wattage amplifiers because it only has to drive the upper coaxial driver. The two 12" SERVO controlled subs in the bottom of each speaker are powered by their own amplifier. |
Hey, Folks, For several happy years, I enjoyed the music making company of my Audio Note Kits "Kit 1" 300 B SET amplifier, which I built with my own two hands (loved the experience). As documented on my blog, here, I eventually learned that although sensitivity ratings (the stuff you see quoted in decibels in manufacturer's literature) are certainly important in finding a good match for a low powered, single ended amplifier, it doesn't tell the whole story. I thought that my Spatial M3 Turbo S speakers sounded splendid with that single ended amp, and they did… until I happened to hear the same speakers with a high-powered, solid-state amp that I had borrowed and that seemed to make everything I like about the Spatial's a lot better. When I spoke with Clayton Shaw of Spatial to ask him why, he explained that sensitivity is part of the story (and an important part, since ideally you want a SET amplifier to be operating within its "1st watt” for lowest distortion), but you also have to take into account the impedance curve of the speaker – how difficult or easy a load is it for the amplifier to drive properly? And in that regard, the standard M3 Turbo S was not going to be a particularly great match for a SET amp. By the way, I ran my Reference 3A De Capo monitors (which I loved) with that 300 B amp for quite a while. It sounded lovely, but it turns out that the sensitivity ratings given by the manufacturer are somewhat optimistic. It's not a slam on the manufacturer or the speaker – both are great – but there doesn't seem to be any standard way of determining sensitivity, and the question is always, across what part of the frequency spectrum is the speaker that sensitive? Anyway, let me toss out a somewhat out-of-the-box suggestion. You might take a look at the very well reviewed Fritz Speakers Carbon 7's. Although the sensitivity ratings of Fritz's monitors are not at first glance especially high, their impedance curve tends to be nice and flat and an easy amp load due, in part, to the series crossovers that Fritz uses. Plus, Fritz is a sweetheart to deal with. Anyway, here is my review of the Carbon 7 SE speaker paired with my old 300 B amp. Enjoy. |
I now have my Heresy IIIs on the floor with no support blocks, and am using Vibrapods under the corners of the supplied tilt back risers with felt pads applied to the bottom of the pods so the speakers can easily be moved around a little on my suspended wood floor. This works really well. As stated previously, I eschew (never "chew" spikes, but it’s OK to "eschew" them) spikes with speakers since I’ve become a "decoupler." I also liberated my larger sub to the right of my rig so I now can move that around also as sort of an "instant room tuning" thing. My smaller sub is set in a small corner formed by a fireplace directly behind the left speaker. For room tuning I always listen while wearing a gigantic grizzly bear suit. |
