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Efficient full range floorstanders to match SET

Some more advice please, I am looking for a "last speaker", to match my "last amp" and yes I know everyone says this is my last purchase. This time I mean it, I think.. My problem, I have settled on 2 lowish power integrated amps, a Viva Solista 845 SET integrated that puts out 18 watts and a Lavardin integated at 50 watts, for warm weather duties. Neither are flea powered, but I can forget most of the offerings from mainstream speaker manufacturers, B and W etc. I recognise you also loose out on the deep base and full range dynamic sound of low efficiency speakers and powerfull SS power amps. I happen to like what you get from low power and efficient speakers. I have been using Living Voice Avatars for years and they are excellent, if a tad polite and laid back. I am looking for something more dynamic, perhaps with a wider, deeper soundstage.
My room is 20ft by 20ft, but certainly cluttered. I enjoy many types of music, Singer songwriters, Jazz, Classical and opera. The real challenge for my chosen path seems large scale classical and opera. We all know how magical SET's and 100db horns can be with the female voice or a jazz combo, but sorting out a complex symphonic piece, not so easy. So I need a compact floorstander, preferably that can be used near wall, that can produce a realistic opera chorus with 18 watts, a tall order? The 18 Watts mean I don't have to go for Avantagarde or Beauhorn at 103 dbs, 92 to 97 will do.
There is some information around, in fact an excellent series on SET amps on the 6moon site, but there are so many choices of matching speakers, often from small cottage industry manufacturers. I rather fancy horns, though my size requirements would mean compression horns or hybrids.
My thoughts included Zingali, the new High Efficiency line from Tyler, Reimer, Triangle, Devore, Cain and Cain, but there are so many others. Budget, up to $5000, preferably second hand, any thoughts? thanks
david12
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shadorne
7,467 posts
 
Have you considered a tube preamp driving active speakers?

I am not sure if the high input impedance of active speakers will prevent your tube amp from being stressed enough to make its lovely tube-like sound.

Matching with actives might give you both the nice tube sound and the deep accurate base/SPL levels. Something that you fear to miss with high efficiency passive speakers coupled with a tube.

If this worked out then, it seems to me, you would have your cake and eat it too!

ATC or Dynaudio make active speakers in a variety of sizes to suit your room/bandwith/SPL requirements.

Disclaimer: I have not tried this - so I don't know for sure if you still get the tube sound you are obviously looking for whilst driving such a high impedance load. I expect others may have tried this....
yohjo
83 posts
 
Silverline Audio Sonata III.
satang
13 posts
 
Can go wrong with the Silverline Sonata III, I just sold they sound great with SET amps. I was using Cardinal X-1, 12.5 watts to drive the Sonata. The reason I sold the Sonata was just got a pair Edgarhorn Titan II from Dr. Bruce Edgar.
g_m_c
443 posts
 
I am driving Meadowlark Blue Heron 2's with a 20 watt Art Audio SET. The Meadowlark are confident and very detailed. 18 SET watts should drive them. 6k+ maybe on the used market.
david12 OP
1,454 posts
 
Thanks for all the ideas, in fact I had a chance to listen to the Zingali overture 3's last night. Just as I feared, wonderful on solo voice and jazz, but the soundstage collapsed and the sound became harsh and congested with an opera chorus or orchestra crescendo. Thanks for the thought about room correction, I was aware of the problems of a square room, so worth some serious thought. I had actively thought about Coincident, but they are quite deep and need to be placed away from walls, I simply can't fit them in. I had checked out the Reimer line, they look very good value.
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