I have never played in the high-eff speaker / low-powered amp space, but I've read so many things that I would like to give it a try. I own an EAR 859 integrated amplifier, De Paravicini's interpretation of SET. It's pretty incredible, especially if you consider its price tag. I am now in the business of choosing the right speaker. I listen to a lot of jazz and vocals and opera. So, I can do without the sub-40HZ frequency range. I would like to stay between $3K to $7K, certainly below $10K. Here are the options i am considering:
1) Zu Audio Essence. 2) Beauhorn Virtuoso (single driver) 3) KCS louspeakers (the model that uses the SEAS exotic driver) 4) Devore Gibbons 8 5) Living voice Avatar
If I had to choose right now, I'd go with the Beauhorn, but I know their limitations.
Any thoughts/personal experiences with the above or any other speakers in this range? Thanks.
I have owned the following (love the high sensitivity speakers) Beauhorn, Lamhorn, Exemplar horn, Tonian TLM (original model), KCS Seas Exotic, and currently use the Tonian Classic 12.1s. I have listened extensively to several Horning models (Alkabiades, Agathon Ultimates) as well as the Gibbon 9's and silverbacks and the Living Voice Avatar OBX
All these speakers, and several of the other mentioned, have great qualities. I love the Hornings but find they like to be played a bit louder than some of the others to really gel but boy are they nice. I prefered the lamhorn with the AER driver to the Beauhorn with the Lowther in my systems (used severl different amp preamp combos...mostly all SET 45,2A3, 300b, 845 based) but both are very good
The KCS are great and definately a value winner....I had the ones with the original single SEAS driver but see that John now has a version using the RAAL ribbon...I bet these are great
For me, I love the Tonian's with the modified Raven ribbon and Phy drivers....just a great, musical take your mind off anything high-fi speaker...seem to me, in my system, to be less overall compromised than any other I have had or heard.
I run mine with a Berning ZH230 (the new one) and have what I think is the best sound I have gotten in my room.
I think you would do well with any of these speakers if you really pay attention to your own preferences, put them into the right system and then just enjoy the effortless, musical sound such transducers are able to convey.
I was on a similar quest and went to RMAF to listen to some of the choices. The 2 best I heard were the Devore Gibbon 9, I did'nt find them soft at all. They do'nt look exciting, but a lovely neutral, musical sound, I could have listened to forever. In the end, the Devores were pipped by Daedalus Da-Ra Mas, a better sound in that it was quicker, more dynamic and excellent value at the direct from the manufacturer price. Lou the manufacturer is great to deal with too. I agree with Newbie about the Silverline Bolero. I really enjoyed liastening to them at RMAF. I just think they have got a bit expensive, in the latest version.
Here are two of the recent threads in which high efficiency speakers have been discussed, as Keith mentioned. These threads are lengthy, but are well worth reading imo.
Also, if your listening includes classical symphonic music having wide dynamic range, which I would guess is the case since you mentioned opera, I would suggest that with your 13 watt amplifier the speakers be rated at 95db/1w/1m as an absolute minimum (and more if your listening distance is greater than about 10 feet).
For non-planar speakers, 95db/1w/1m + 13 watts + a 10 foot listening distance corresponds to a peak spl capability at the listening position of approximately 100db. That will be adequate for the peaks of most classical recordings, in my experience, but there are at least a few that I have encountered which require several db more than that.
The "you need to audition" advice is doubtless right, but sometimes overstated.
Auditioning is a lot of effort, given that many manufacturers have limited distribution: I've been looking for a speakers for about a year, and through business travel, I've now heard speakers in Carolina, California, Missouri, Kansas, and Illinois. I've tried, and failed, to set up auditions in Arkansas and Tennessee. Still no decision.
Given constraints of time, etc, the auditions may not be all that informative: like other relationships, it's difficult to project from a few hours to a dozen years.
Also, even with notes, memory fails: I know I liked speaker X pretty well, but its hard to compare the memory of X with the experience of Y as I listen now (maybe I could compare a recording of X!;).
Given all this, and given that the conditions in any audition may be only distantly related to the conditions you'll face in your room with your gear, I'm not sure how much benefit auditions are.
My experience is that the negatives are informative: if I don't enjoy it for an hour or two in audition, I eliminate the speaker, even if I suspect set up problems at the audition. As they say about marriage, "if you've got reservations now, you'll be making 'em later." To my surprise, I've quickly eliminated numerous highly regarded speakers in audition. But as for a "good" audition, who's to say: Will it work this way for me? Will it stand the test of time? Is it really better than the competing model I heard three months ago?
Given all this, I think the information found at places like this is well worth seeking out.
Happily, some manufacturers, like Salk, allow in-home demos, which can answer a lot of questions off site auditions cannot.
Tvad, don't get me wrong. I do listen to a lot of speakers, and local dealers know me well (and I am lucky enough to live in boston, which has pretty good dealers). all i am saying is that system integration is key, and room layout even more. it happened to me more than once to pick up a speaker i loved at a local dealer and then return it because it did not sound right in my setup. that's why listening to others' opinion is an important aspect of this hobby...and one i enjoy too. then of course you have to be intelligent enough to interpret what other people say. the purpose of this post, for me, is to know what speakers made other people happy, why, and in what system. if you think there is little information in all this, that is fine. i respect your opinion. but newbee for instance suggested that i consider a speaker that i did not consider prior to this post. it's possible that i'll have a chance to give it a listen somewhere, and that i'll like it enough to try it out in my system. to me this is useful feedback. that's all.
Also consider Coincident Speaker Technology in Canada. If you trust reviews, Stereo Mojo loved the Super Victory. They are $9500, so maybe too pricey for you.
Zu Essence blows goat. Cheap Ribbon, poor integration.
Devore is great but a little warm and not as transparent for my taste. BUT I have a good friend that builds $15k plus guitars and he loves Devore speakers.
Tvad, you put way more weight to half-hour listening sessions in a hotel room than I do. In my experience, listening to a speaker in a hotel room with equipment that is very different from yours is not very informative. The beauty of audiogon fellow travelers is that they have lived with a particular speaker for long, and they know it inside out. Plus, you can get leads like what suggested by newbee on pieces of equipment that you would have not considered. While I knew about silverline, they never came to mind before newbee mentioned them. So, thanks for your comment, but I still think there is a lot to be learned from fellow travelers.
Consider Silverline Bolero's. 92db and easy to drive (impedance curve wise). Dynaudio drivers including the Esotar tweeter. Full range and very smooth FR. Polite upper-mid range makes them non-fatiguing but they remain very revealing non-the-less. Excellent imaging and great looking as well. They cost 12K new. There is a pair for sale on A-Gon for 4695, about 50% of their price. I've had mine for 3years and haven't looked back!
Omega Loudspeakers are another good choice at the lower end of your price range, and they are a great value for the money. I have a pair of the Omega Super 8 Alnico XRS and they are terrific with small ensemble (jazz or classical), solo instrumental, and vocal music.
For a completely different flavor, you might also want to consider the DeVore Fidelity 3XLs - an extremely impressive monitor speaker that uses the same tweeter as is used in John's Reference Silverbacks.
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