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High sensitivity (99) with mid powered (50 to 100 wpc/tube) amps?

Sorry: my thread title should have read "high sensitivity speakers with mid powered tube amps?"

Are there draw backs or ramifications to running a pair of speakers which list the sensitivity at 99 with amps producing 50 wpc? (Specifically I was looking at a pair of open box KLIPSCH - Forte IV) and specifically I would be driving them with a Cary V12 rated at 50 wpc in triode and 100 wpc in ultralinear. (I know that I have the power to drive them, but I am thinking that they are usually paired with lower powered, such as SET, amps, and I was wondering if they might not be suitable to be paired with a beefier push pull amp.)

What interests me about these speakers in that they seems relatively small (HWD:: 35.75" x 16.63" x 13") and they would be near-field in a quite small room. Would they be a good speaker for near field? (I note that they are pretty low to the ground, tweeter wise) Also I note that they are biwireable, so I could continue to use my current runs of shotgun biwirie.

Also, are the diaphragm compression driver that they list what is also known as horns? And as it is a 3-way speaker with 12" LF drivers, I was thinking that I could retire my ancient sub.

Doing some reading/searches through posts & users say close to the wall is okay (my B&W 805s are close to 4 feet from wall) so that & no sub would make my small room bigger. Is there an "in your face shout" from horn drivers?

Thanks in advance for any input on this.

immatthewj
glennewdick's avatar
glennewdick
1,726 posts
 

few tips from another person who is/has run hi efficiency speakers.

The power is fine for the Klipsch's more then you will need but not excessive. 

The first issue you may encounter; Is your system quiet enough for the speakers?  Took me a while to find components that were, tube and also quiet enough for the LaScala's (105db) I had.

Tubes that are bad or going bad will show signs sooner, maybe a good thing.

Preamps/or preamp stages that have low enough over all gain to have a usable volume range. This also ties into over all gain being being too hi. Took me a while to find a pre-amp that had a good usable volume range and was dead quiet. 

Another thing you may want to find tubes that are a bit on the smooth/laid back side of the sound spectrum as the horn loaded tweeters in the Klipsch's can excite some people. also the Forte's are not good really close to the wall as they have a passive radiator in the back to support the bass. 

immatthewj OP
2,383 posts
 

Thanks, @glennewdick  !  That is great input!  Seriously.  My preamp does have a lot of gain.  There is no noise that I can hear from the speakers with no music playing, but there is a very soft hum from the preamp itself.  It's not enough to bug me, and the only reason I know it's there is because of how it sounds when I turn the preamp off.  I believe that these are not going to be the right speakers for me.  I'd still like to try them out and see for myself, but if they had more cons than pros, I am thinking that sending a pair of speakers that weigh 144 Lb.s back would be a bitch.  Again, thanks for addressing the questions I asked on this.

ltmandella's avatar
ltmandella
174 posts
 

tube amp hiss/hum has been a common complaint of tube afficiandos running super efficient speakers..

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
11,962 posts
 

@immatthewj @hilde45 There's no downside to running a bit more power on a higher efficiency speaker! I've done it for years (my speakers are 98dB). I've found that many lower powered amps make just as much noise floor as higher powered amps, so noise isn't an issue.

Distortion is; with less distortion comes greater transparency. There are many PushPull tube amps that easily rival the best SETs and usually use less expensive power tubes.

immatthewj OP
2,383 posts
 

Thank uou for your input on that part of my question, @atmasphere  .

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