Goldenear Triton One.R - can it be driven with low power tube amp?

Jperry,
Thank you for your very kind comments. They are much appreciated.

George,
I don’t disagree with your comments, you do have to judge each speaker individually in its totality. All things considered load impedance and associated phase angles are factors that deserve consideration. It seems that Sandy Gross uses an 8 watt SET that suits ’his’ desires with the speaker ’he designed’ . Granted what satisfies him may not satisfy you.

You make my point in referencing the Wilson Alexa speaker. Very similar load impedance measurements, no doubt. Yet there’s more to that story.
As cakids rightly noted the built in powered subwoofer of the G.E. Triton is a significant variable. The Alexa lacks a powered subwoofer so one might expect a different outcome match with similar amplifiers chosen to drive them.

Certainly cakids experience using his Manley Stingray demonstrates excellent compatibility with the Triton. I did not extrapolate that this would be true for all challenging speaker load impedance scenarios, hardly. My main point is you have to listen in most (Not all) cases to get a true assessment.

An example of where listening wouldn’t be a necessity, my 8 watt 300b SET amplifier matched with the Wilson Alexa. On the other hand the Tritons might be worth a listening session. Again, the LM 805ia heard by jperry would definitely be a major contender with the Tritons in my opinion.

I don’t believe that folks reading this thread will have any problems making distinctions of the information discussed here.
Charles

The Tritons need to be driven by your own amp from 80hz up to 400hz there's a lot of power asked from an amp in this mid bass upper bass to 200hz region and this is where Stereophile has given the impedance/phase loading that's well below 4ohms in conjunction with negative phase angle as well, this needs an amp that is more than a common 300b 8w SET can give.
Unless he has a purpose built special 8w set, that has 2ohm-4ohm output transformers with "low output impedance" and still able to give 8w. 

Cheers George

Good point and perhaps Sandy Gross utilizes an 8 watt SET that has output transformers up to the task. After all these speakers are his creation. If anyone knows them it would be him. 

We do know that the Manley Stingray in triode mode (20 watts) has no problem driving the Tritons per cakids account. So a robustly built 300b SET with high quality output transformers isn't an unimaginable stretch. It would be quite interesting to know more about Sandy's particular 8 watt SET. There is certainly a pecking order amongst the wide variety of these types of amplifiers in the marketplace. 
Charles 

Here is what HIFI News reviewed and lab tested about these speakers, maybe now you'll realize that although the "8w SET made some nice sounds, they would have not been taken to perform at their best with an 8w set.

  LAB: KEITH HOWARD
 We measured a minimum modulus of 2.9ohm and a minimum EPDR of 1.3ohm at 92Hz, with further dips to 1.6ohm at 219Hz and 2.0ohm at 584Hz.
So the One.R is a tough loudspeaker to drive, despite its powered bass section.

Cheers George     

George,
To be very clear I am not disputing the very daunting speaker impedance measurements you have cited. Those numbers are factual, no argument. However the person who designed these speakers and is obviously responsible for their subsequent load characteristics nonetheless chooses to listen to them with his 8 watt SET.

He clearly enjoys what he’s hearing (With intimate knowledge of the speaker’s impedance behavior!). He also has a solid state amplifier but for his purposes prefers the SET for listening pleasure. I have to reasonably conclude that it sounds very good to him. However I acknowledge that this  amp/speaker combination may not sound good to you. Just common sense as nothing pleases everyone.

In this circumstance I give more credence to someone who not only has heard this pairing but who created the speakers!!! Compared to some who hasn’t listened to it and is making a case solely on provided measurements. This is my only point.

Real world actual listening versus speculation based on reported measurements. Again George I don’t believe that anyone reading this thread will find it misleading or confusing. People can appreciate real listening encounters versus supposition.
Charles