Methinks something is wrong with your subwoofer. It works flawlessly in this review...
https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_4_4/velodynehgs10.html
https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_4_4/velodynehgs10.html
Raven Blackhawk LE... am I going to be disappointed?
Methinks something is wrong with your subwoofer. It works flawlessly in this review... https://hometheaterhifi.com/volume_4_4/velodynehgs10.html |
Ok, understood. Why not use the sub in a traditional hookup with the low-pass crossover? The mid bass driver on the mains is going to present better SQ than a subwoofer driver. Set the crossover on the sub and use it for the lowest octaves. {On the back are an ungrounded AC socket, RCA line-level inputs and high-pass (80 Hz, 6 dB/octave) outputs, Volume control, Low-Pass crossover control (40 Hz - 120 Hz, 12 dB/octave initially, 48 dB/octave ultimately), Crossover in/out switch, Phase toggle (00 or 1800), Subsonic selection (20 Hz or 35 Hz), and a remote sensor switch.} |
"I was really curious what 95+db speakers were like so I borrowed a pair of whatever klipsch’s... RF3’s? He picked them up for $200... they mopped the floor with the salks and they are not even close to the same level as the Salks, so it was the sensitivity / synergy that was doing it for me." Did you try using the Belles Aria with those speakers? |
Interesting path. You had Carreras and then Salks and the Belles Aria wasn’t doing it so you got a 20 watt tube amp to go with the speakers; but it wasn’t enough power so you’re now getting rid of the speakers to go with the amp? Is that what happened? My path was different. After a lot of research on speakers, I chose Salks which were 83 db. Huge mistake because I learned what it would take to drive them. So, I asked Salk to swap me out for more efficient speakers in that line -- 90 db. I used a number of online calculators including this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itKqSWH07_Y&ab_channel=TheHansBeekhuyzenChannel and forum posts to figure out which amps would be adequate -- e.g., here. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/speaker-sensitivity-impedance-and-calculating-amp-power/post?... At first, I was looking at 20 wpc and 40 wpc tube amps. Not enough. I consider 80 or more tube amps (Octave, Quicksilver, Atmasphere, etc.) but they were too expensive. So I settled at 60 wpc. Preamp and amp for about $4k. Turns out, 60 is fine for my Salks. I drove them recently with 225 wpc and they did not improve overall (they were solid state watts, so better bass but not better midrange, soundstage). So, choice of speakers, first; amp to match, second. In your case, I see that you’re seeking synergy by going with a very well regarded amp. I don’t know how the Tektons and the Salks compare in sonic character, quality of parts, looks, etc. That would have been a comparison to make early on with an amp that could drive both of them, ideally. But you are where you are, and good luck! I really do not see the need for such sensitive speakers. It’s one kind of synergy but there’s so much testimony about other synergies that work equally well, listener-relative, of course. As a parting comment -- which I expect people to disagree with -- I don’t see the choice of a tube amp in this price range to be all that critical. I see the speaker choice as much more important. I mean, couldn’t one get a number of really good tube amps in this price range to do justice to a speaker in the 87 db and up range? Could it really be that hard? (Looking new or used, might a match not be found among Aric, Cary, Modwright, Octave, Quicksilver, Supratek, Raven, Rogue, Prima Luna, et al.?) |