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Advice on buying a used speaker up to 3k

You all here on agon helped a lot in buying an amp (went with pass labs xa30.5 with you advice and my research) under 3k that I want your help again!

I love what the pass labs amp has brought that I have an upgrade inch again. My other components are an NAD m51 dac which has a 35 bit volume control and hdmi so it seconds as the preamp too.

My source is an oppo 103d which I use strictly for digital files and high resolution downloads used on a the flash drive on the oppos input. Also like dvds and blu rays on the system.

I have some Kef 104/2 that I really dig but I believe I am missing some higher frequencies with some of the new tweeters technology thats out. I have been impressed with what I have heard about the Raal ribbon tweets but there may not be a lot of choices at the price point.

The pass labs needs high efficiency speakers above 87 db. I also would rather want a tower over monitor but am open. I may be wrong but monitors seem to not be able to sound full range or complete as I think of it???
freemand
jdoris
972 posts
 
I have the corresponding Psss integrated (INT-30A), and I'm with Jazzcourier: the more efficient the better.

I love it, but it's just not that much amp, especially regards the lows; I here respectfully disagree with the many who say the smaller Passes are "more powerful than rated" and mate well with fairly low efficiency speakers.

Two that mine did not mate well with were the Gallo 3.5 (88db) and the Montana EPS2 (92db). They sounded pretty good, but the pairing didn't quite come together. Too bad, because both are very good speakers, and can be had at your pricepoint.

One that did work very well was the Vaughn Zinfandel (98db) an augmented full range design with powered base, which helped a lot. You don't see them much, but they, especially in a not-the-latest permutation, could be had used at your pp. Might be worth emailing Jim at Vaughn.

Btw, the Zins are not headbangers. You didn't state your listening habits, which would be helpful to advisers.

John

soix
10,366 posts
 
If you don't mind buying used, Reference 3A Grand Veena or Veena are worth a look. If buying new the Silverline Prelude Plus is also a pretty easy load. I'd think both would offer more treble detail than your KEFs. Best of luck.
johnk's avatar
johnk
1,976 posts
 
I can build you a pair of RAAL ribbon based speakers with a 8in scan speaker woofer in birch ply veneered cabinets. For 3k.
freemand OP
225 posts
 
Johnk, whats the brand are do you do this independently?

Whats the db on them. Are the monitor or full size?

Tell me more! I am intrigued.
freemand OP
225 posts
 
Jdoris, those Vaughn Zinfandel peaked my interest. Dont see much around used so it may be a waiting game if those are to be bought. Sounds like the gallo I can scratch off as I researched those a lot.

I tend to gravitate to jazz. I like recordings with female voices and a pin point image which the kef 104 do well with its dappolito array. So pin point voices would be a big thing.

The kefs are 92 db and seems like they are way efficient enough for the amp to my ears. Perhaps anything much below would be an issue??

Soix, I will digger deeper into those speaker suggestions. One speaker that still has my interest is the Emerald physics ep-x so if theres any users your comments would be welcomed.
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