Welcome! Need support, you got it. Or share you ideas and experiences.
I recently completed the Foreplay Pre-Amp Kit along with a few mods. I would like like to add a 2 channel tube amp but the I'm not sure a SET amp would work with my Paradigm Studio 60 small towers rated at 90 db/1/1meter. Can anybody offer up some suggestions?
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I don't know if you've read Ron's comments on matching speakers to amplifiers on his website, but if you haven't, have a look at it.One thing I'd recommend is for you to hang out on the high efficiency speaker forum, along with Bert Doppenberg's forum for a while. Let the whole thing sink in over time.
Where you'll arrive is that by building your own (even if you have to pay a cabinet maker) or buying used, you can get incredible bang for the buck.
A bit higher up on the food chain of course are the Oris horns. Ron recognizes that many folks are not inclined or able to pick up a saw, and is coming out with kits - such as the Onken bass cabinet for the Oris horns.
Disclaimer - I know and like Ron, having gotten to know him by being a (happy) customer. I also know his cabinet maker who builds the Vifa/Onken kits and the amplifier bases. Reading between the lines, I'm guessing that these two crafty fellers will have some more killer speaker designs at several points in the food chain in the future for folks looking to break into low power triodes.
I say this not because I have any inside information, but because knowing them, they have a good understanding of the problem folks face and are prone to having creative solutions.
Cheers,
Thom @ Redpoint
Before I built some high efficiency speakers, I was running my Laurels (300B amps) through generic 87dB bookshelf speakers. The SET vibrance was clearly audible, but there was compression and of course not too much volume. Still good music. Maybe build a pair of 300B SET amps (I think Cary sells a stereo kit if you don't like monoblocks) and look into new speakers after a year of happy listening through your 'Digms. Many of us have found that once started on this, we keep wanting to try new things anyway!
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I guess what I need to do before I decide to build something again, is to audition a SET amp with some 90 db speakers, and also some high efficency ones. They only thing I've heard thus far was Dr. Bruce Edgar's horns with a 3 watt SET amp, and it was VERY impressive! I may attaend the Midwest Audio Fest on April 11-12 to find out more about this topic.
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If you take a couple of months' Audio Asylum surfing time and convert it into drive time to Lima, OH (assuming you're in the Eastern half of the country), your time will be well spent.There's no substitute for expereincing this stuff first hand.
I just recently finished a Decware Zen triode that continues to amaze me.I have a pair of Jordan JX92s in a small vented enclosure. At 88db 1W/1M they go loud enough but not without pushing tha amp beyond its limit.
However, on my Fostex 167E in a similar size vented enclosure, (96db 1W/1M) all I can say is wow. The amp is DEAD quiet, the music is repoduced effortlessly, sound stage is a mile wide and they dynamics amaze me everyday.
Decware states the amp is not for inexperienced solder slingersbut there is an excellent how-to here :
http://home.att.net/~joemacjr/diyproject/kit.html
Best $399 I ever spent!
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