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Electrostatics and tubes

I am looking to get some new to me speakers,  I've been looking at options and would really like to try a set of planars "electrostatics".  I have read or heard somewhere that as far as speakers go they tend to be inefficient (85 to 89) vs.90+(db) on the Klipsch or Dali's I've been tossing around as a standard speaker option. I guess my question is would I need to worry about any over heating issues. I plan on using plenty of power with a set of VTA, M-125's to power them. I am looking at a lower budget set maybe Martin Logan ESL 9's or Magnepan 2.7i .    Just wondering I would hate to over heat a few hundred dollars worth of tubes if I don't need to.   ¯\_(ツ)_/¯  don't roast me to bad I cry easy wink  thanks.    

128x128hotrod6871
audphile1's avatar
audphile1
4,920 posts
 

I drove Martin Logan Montis with Rogue ST100 tube amp without any issues whatsoever. Keep in mind the MLs have powered woofers so the only load is the panel.

russ69's avatar
russ69
3,501 posts
 

"Obviously a 125w tube amp is no match to the power that Parasound puts out."

Not sure you are hearing me. Those will with work with newer Martin Logans. The 250 WPC Parasound was in a small room. Magnepan was using 1000 WPC mono blocks. Not sure how loud you play but Maggies NEED real power. My brother smoked his JC1s running a 3.6 Maggie. That’s 450 watts per.

hotrod6871's avatar
hotrod6871 OP
3 posts
 

@russ69 

No I get what you're saying,    and you basically answered my question earlier about the Maggie's, I've heard they are power hogs before.  And I was worried about under powering them and overheating the M-125's  I do know ML ESL11's have a sub amp built in, but the ESL 9's do not, so stick with the 11's.   But regardless I was thinking about possibly using a separate sub so that wouldn't matter.  Overall it seems most everyone that has answered so far believes a 125 watt would be good on a ML but not so much on a Maggie. Unless anyone has other suggestions on speakers under 5K. 🤔

curiousjim's avatar
curiousjim
4,689 posts
 

@hotrod6871 

I have some Accoustat Model X electrostatic speakers.  They are attached to some 40 watt tube mono blocks and they play louder than I can listen to. When I added a crossover and a subwoofer or two, they easily filled a 22’x20’ room and the volume control never passed 50%.


All the best.

noodlyarm
103 posts
 

I've been a stat fan for nearly 40 years.   I find the pairing of electrostats and tubes to be magic.   Electrostats are typically 91-92dB efficient, so you don't need a ton of power.   You should have plenty and those VTAs are sweet.

I'm not a fan of the ML ESL9, but the 13a and 15a, I like a lot.   Mating your excellent amps with the ESL9 is like putting a Ferrari engine in a Chevy Malibu.

Good luck.

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