Cube Audio Nenuphar Single Driver Speaker (10 inch) TQWT Enclosure

@v10 

I'm not surprised with your outcome.  NAT audio has earned an esteemed reputation as one of the better sounding amplifier manufacturers out of eastern Europe. 50 watts class A from a gm 70 is a lot of power for the Nenuphars.  Do you utilize the optional lower power setting?

Charles 

@rwpollock 

I can't imagine how you could not be happy with either of those amplifiers driving the Nenuphars. What brand 300b  are you using in the Aric Audio SET?

Charles

@rwpollock 

 I am in the camp of keeping what you currently have. Virtually everything in audio is a trade off to some degree no matter how small. You get another amplifier that gives you more of  “this” but then loses some of “that”. The Audio Note OTO I believe would be a terrific match with your speakers. It is an el84 with its inevitable strengths and weaknesses like any other amplifier.

it could be as good but I don’t see it as better than your current Shindo or Elrog/Aric Audio 300b. . Higher power push pull tube amplifiers would take you in another direction as far as I am concerned. I don’t know that this would necessarily be any improvement with the Nenuphars. It could certainly work out well for you, more likely different rather than better. Just to let you know I am bias positively  toward high-quality low power tube amplifiers. Just me. I believe that you are in a very good place right now.

Charles

Okay that's why the speakers are seemingly always paired with a solid state amplifier at USA audio shows.   @jayctoy  I believe that the Nenuphars would sound absolutely beautiful with your Viva 300b amplifier. 

Charles 

@larryi

 I  do wish to hear them with a warmer tube amp, like a 6L6 or KT 66 amp.  The are efficient enough for a single ended triode to at least be in the contest.

@david_ten  drives his Nenuphars to magnificent results paired with 2A3 SET mono blocks. Granted they're uber quality SET.

Charles 

@debjit_g 

Thanks,  appreciate the photographs. 

Charles 

@stephendunn 

Congratulations!

Charles 

Hi @cal3713 

Your explanation and reasoning is exactly what prompted my curiosity.  Yes, no question that the Cube Audio bass system is more expensive and surely well thought out and implemented  . Yet one has to acknowledge the pure application of acoustic science that supports why the swarm distributed subwoofer array is so effective and less costly. 

Charles  

Neither can I.

@dlcockrum

Congratulations on acquiring the Nenuphars and the First Watt S.I.T. amplifier. In my opinion you have established an excellent foundation to build an audio system around (I believe the NAT audio amplifier an equally good option as well). I have zero doubt that your sound quality will only improve with accumulation of playing time hours. I’m very interested to know how you find this direction compared to your former Thiel speakers-Classe Audio amplifier based audio system. Polar ends of the audio component spectrum.☺

Charles

@dlcockrum 

Your NAT Audio HPS amplifier is very intriguing. NAT has a reputation for their own in house high quality output transformers. Their electronics are highly regarded. Your amplifier to my understanding is 50 watt SET via the GM 70 tube but can be switched to 15 watt power mode. I'm very curious as to which power mode you'll find to sound better with the Nenuphar. NAT is a proven audio product beyond any shadow of doubt. I think that you are in store for quite an exceptional musical journey.

Charles

Thanks David.😊

Charles

Moving from the V1 to the V2 eliminates (Or diminishes) the need for subwoofers? Quite an observation and outcome. I still believe that a lot of the V1-V2 differences are driven by specific system make-up and subsequent synergy results. It just seems that existing source, amplification, cabling etc can tilt driver preference in either direction. Then of course there is the large Spector of individual listener bias and taste. I still contend that both are superb options. 
Charles

If you remember, Cube Audio didn’t like the pairing of the V1s with 300B based amps

I was under the impression that Cube Audio specifically had lower power, high output impedance amplifiers in mind to pair with the Nenuphar characteristics. 300b/2A3/PX 25 etc were the intended targets. Thus the very damped driver via very powerful magnets/motor. Exactly why an amplifier with high damping factor is not seen as advantageous. A good quality 300b SET would seem an excellent Nenuphar partner.

Charles

@juanmanuelfangioii

In all candor I don’t believe there is a backing up statement. Certainly due to personal taste preference one might prefer a 45 /2A3, nothing unusual there. By the same token other listeners may prefer the 300b. Normal variance depending on numerous audio system factors.

Charles

Seems like considerable conjecture in all honesty. I can’t think of any logical reason why a 300b amplifier would not be a fine choice. Certainly no technical reason. I’d love a comment directly from Cube Audio on this topic. I would be very surprised if they said there is some reason to avoid the 300b. Again, to me it appears to be a terrific pairing.

Charles

@david_ten 

Thanks for taking the time to find this amplifier list. It is self explanatory. 
Charles 

+1 David. Best of luck to Stephen.

Charles

Hi David,

Thanks for posting the link.

Charles 

@benjie 

All of this is happening with only 30 hrs of play. I can't wait to hear how they evolve after 100 or 200 hrs on them. And I have not even started to adjust toe-in or change spikes and footers or distance from the wall. I can say that everything I have read and videos that I have watched on youtube are true. I have a feeling this is going to be a fun journey with these speakers !!!

Needless to say, you’re off to an excellent start.😊

At only 30 hours you have considerably more speaker (And frankly amplifier) burn-in to go. That you are so happy with what you’re hearing already is very encouraging. Congratulations on your wise and successful Nenuphar acquisition.

It would be very interesting if once the Nenuphars are fully settled in you could try a low power tube amplifier. Just to contrast with your S.I.T.-3 amplifier. Just a thought.

Charles

8/0.9 = 9

@rwpollock which is pretty low and down in the tube amp range. The SIT-3 has a damping factor of 30.

Good observation. This is actually what the Nenuphar was designed to work with due to the highly damped driver implemented.

Charles

@benjie

I am very happy with my purchase and am looking forward to many hours of listening pleasure. I can’t say anything bad about these speakers, they have checked all the boxes for me. Like I said above, these speakers are going to be a lot of fun !!!

This says it all!

You are very happy with the Nenuphars and have increased your enjoyment of listening to music. Wonderful, this is entirely the point of these endeavors. I’m glad that you gave tube amplifiers an opportunity to pair with your Nenuphars.

Charles

@djembeplay 

I believe that your Yamamoto 45 amplifier will be a very good pairing with the Nenuphars given the intended use.

Charles

On the downside, the bamboo ply is pretty expensive... I might pay around $1k in materials for this in total. I’m good with it, though -- I want to shoot for something really top notch on this job, both in form and function. Economically I’d still be coming in at around half the cost of a new set of Nenuphars

If I may humbly interject , Go for it with the Bamboo cabinets. Make this project special and beautiful. You are going to be utilizing a world class single driver that will sound fantastic with proper execution.

You certainly have the prerequisite skill set and experience to pull this off. Many do not. Take advantage of your know how and talent. Please keep us posted.

Charles

With the “many”  owner feedback comments and reviews, this is the first time I have read the Nenuphars described as “shouty “ and forward.

Charles 

@whitestix 

wow! 
Quite a dramatic transformation. I’m glad that you gave the speakers a 2nd chance. A shame if you had dumped them prematurely. I just truly believed that these speakers with your magnificent Don Sachs/Lynn Olsen built 300b push-pull amplifier would be a sublime pairing. It is genuinely great that this has turned out to be the case. Congratulations!

Charles

@abd1 

What a marvelous (Delayed 😊) outcome for you. Very interesting and glad you shared this experience. I’m not at all surprised that the higher level/tier amplifier has made such an improvement. I happen to be one of those who believe strongly that amplifiers most definitely matter.

No doubt that your latest amplifier has better transformers/power supply/parts overall. It simply matters a lot. Your speakers are of such high quality that they will easily reveal any differences among amplifiers. Yours is a very good example of patience and diligence paying off in the end.

Charles

@dlcockrum

amplifier choice is very critical to achieving balanced tonality with the Cube full-range drivers, so choose an amplifier with higher output impedance (think ~ 0.8 ohms optimally) and thus a low damping factor (think 10 or so optimally). The Enleum 23R is said by many to work very well.

Absolutely right. Cube Audio very explicitly has made this point concerning low output impedance amplifiers ( High damping factor). Too much DF with their driver will be excessively damped, not good. I’d heed the guidance of the actual developers of this excellent speaker.

Charles

Great too see David Ten back on the thread!   Cheers

Agreed. 👍

Charles

@larryi

Cube Audio has explained in detail about their rationale for good amplifier-driver matching. No doubt that the speaker owners can choose what ever amplifier they want to.  Cube Audio is only offering informed guidance.

Charles