You need to look at higher efficiency speakers. Not sure why you would want a sound system in a small bedroom unless you converted it to an office.
High Efficiency Options?
I’m thinking about assembly a pretty modest second system based on tubes. I think for a basic el34 amp most speakers 85db or higher would satisfy but I’d like to play with low powered tube amps. System will be in a small bedroom and I won’t use it to listen loud often, so I’m thinking anything in high 80db range will work. To give you an idea of my taste I use Harbeth c7s with Primaluna seperates fed from my Audio Mirror Tubadour and Auralic Aries. I don’t have a large budget for speakers, probably 1,000-1,500, and I’ll buy used. I have decent grasp of what’s available for the most part, but not really when it comes to high efficiency speakers. I know of Zu and Tekton but don’t find what I’ve read about them too appealing. Outside of those two I’m not really sure what’s out there in my price range. Any ideas or recommendations would be much appreciated.
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I'm normally a proponent of higher efficiency speakers. But in a bedroom system you usually are not playing all that loud and in a smaller room like this the efficiency isn't going to matter much. Take a look at http://www.fritzspeakers.com Fritz does excellent work and his speakers are very reasonably priced. They are in the high 80s for sensitivity. I have his smallest set in my bedroom system and my amp makes 5 Watts per channel. My room is larger and I don't come anywhere near pushing the amp hard. A powered subwoofer is nice, but Fritz is very good about getting low frequency bandwidth. |
I have been putting together a tube system as my primary system for months and going through what you are starting. I’m now on my 4th amp and very dialed in. Yes, you need 90+ dB, preferably 95+ with an SET. For the SET you will need to decide if you are going to have subwoofers of not. Bass is the hardest thing to fill out with low wattage. If that isn’t terribly important to you (jazz of classical) then the task gets much easier. Many of the speakers being suggested to you are going to be weak on bass with a 6 watt system. I prefer a full range speaker and no subs. I know it is hard to get past all of the bashing of the tekton speakers but you won’t find a better midrange than the array mids and you’ve said midrange is most important to you. I am using Encores in a relatively small room and they work great with low watts. If you prefer small, look at the Perfect SET. One thing to keep in mind in a small room is heat generation. Some tube amps will make a small room very hot. Look at power consumption which is a 1:1 indicator of heat generation. Jerry |
- @ 92 db efficiency, it’s a +1 for the REFERENCE 3a MM De Capos ( the predecessor “i” or the current newer “BE” tweeter models). If it’s for a smaller room (bedroom) then it’s smaller sibling DULCETs will do nicely. - @89db efficiency in a small room and “within reason “ listening levels, here is a fine budget option REGA KYTE https://www.the-ear.net/review-hardware/rega-kyte-standmount-loudspeaker
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Hi I have a budget limited system. Rogue RP-1 pre, Had Inspire SEP HO, and Zu Omens. Front end Schiit Yiggy and Thorens TT. I like the ZU’s very much. I have Heresy II’s in the closet. I gave them away and like a bad penny they’re back. I’m running SEP, some mentioned SET, big difference. I can run anything from EL 34 to KT 150. With the right tube, the Zu’s can produce amazing bass. I tailor the tone by rolling in a rectifier tube. The fellow I purchase the Zu’s from had Tekton, Klipsch, Omega and a few more. He currently rotates Devore and Zu Druids. That being said he preferred the Omens over ALL the other high efficiency speakers in the price range you mention. I had a pair of Klipsch KG 1.5’s that I gifted my son. They actually bested the Heresys and made more bass. I ran them in my bedroom on stands with the Had and then a Marantz. 2223. That being said today I’d consider the Triangle Borea 3 as my next to try. In this category the two biggest issues were taming brightness and creating enough low end to avoid a subwoofer. I hope my rambling is helpful and happy hunting. |
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