Speakers that are good with tubes


I have see several recommendations against tube amps powering certain speakers. But which speakers are known to really like time amps, especially high powered tube amps?

lewl28

If you like the sound of Maggies, but don't want or can't afford a 300 watt tube amp, look into the Eminent Technology LFT-8. Like Maggies, the LFT employs planar-magnetic drivers. Unlike the Maggies, the LFT is a tube-friendly loudspeaker, it's modulus of impedance 8 ohms and above. And if you bi-amp (two pair of binding posts are provided: one for the p-m drivers---180Hz up, another for the woofer), the impedance of the panels is 11 ohms, even better for tube amps. 

Klipsch KG 4s are a winning hand with tube amps. I sold mine and do miss them now even though I have a set of Klipsch Fortes I and its little brother the Quartets.

@hilde45

 

You can avoid the output transformer problem altogether by going with an OTL, such as atmasphere, or Futterman.

I use Altec 604Cs - 101db - paired with the NY Audiolab OTL3 version of the Futterman design, converted to triode.

Don’t listen to folks who haven’t tried any given combination. I ran my ATC SCM40 V2’s with a Line Magnetic 805ia and it was bliss—sounded convincingly like ATC’s own P2 which I also owned. There are class a high current tube amps that will drive many of the 6-8 ohm speakers out there easily.
 

The only thing with tubes is that they tend to lead you down the high efficiency speaker path at some point. I drive my Tannoy Turnberry GR’s with a 14 watt Line Magnetic and my Pure Audio Project Duets with a 1.5 watt SET amp.