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 @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. |
Thank uou for your input on that part of my question, @atmasphere . |
@atmasphere Wrote:
I agree! Look at the Quicksilver Horn Mono amplifier, it is designed specifically for use with very efficient speakers and it's affordable. See here! FWIW, my speakers have an efficiency of 2.7% and sensitivity of 96dB. 😎 Mike |
@atmasphere Thanks for the input and advice, Ralph! |
Thanks, @ditusa , but I am having to stretch things to get into new speakers . . . an new amp is out of the question. I think, however, if something happened in my life that allowed me to start (somewhat) fresh, I'd like to go the low powered SET route (I was specifically thinking about some of the Dennis Had stuff) with speakers in the high 90s. |
