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Eminent Technology 8b Speakers - Amp/wattage Recommendations

I recently purchased a nearly new pair of 8bs. I am now looking for an amplifier. 

My preference is tubes over SS.

The room is 23x15x10 feet dedicated for music. 

I like to play music fairly loud at times. 

I will likely biamp, meaning whatever tube amp I end up using will receive a high-pass filtered signal and drive only the mid and high freq panel drivers. 

I am aware that Bruce T recommends 75-200 watts. 

I am considering two options, (a) Quicksilver KT monos with KT150 tubes (100 watts) and (b) another amp by a boutique builder using 4 KT 120 per side and 120 watts. 

My preference is option (a), but worry that 100 watts is not sufficient. 

I would appreciate any real-world experience on how many watts is practically needed with the 8bs. Are they as power hungry as I think they are, or is 100 watts more than enough? 

Does bi-amping make a difference, meaning one can get away with using less watts since you are driving only the mids/high drivers and not the subs? 

Any feedback or suggestions from 8b users would be appricated. 

Thanks much! 

 

 

jwr159

Showing 1 response by atmasphere

atmasphere's avatar
atmasphere
12,101 posts
 

I would think it might be good assumption, but I’m not sure about tube amps. It would be better to ask tube amp experts like atmasphere.

@atmasphere Ralph, could you chime in? Does limitting low end allow to play louder? I know that with some amps, like class D Zobel network limits power at high frequencies anyway.

The ET8b is surprisingly tube friendly and if you have 100 Watts you should be good in most rooms. If bass is filtered from the HF amp then of course you can get more sound pressure, if there is also an amplifier for the bass.

IME doing this without an electronic crossover (whether active or not) in front of the amplifier is problematic. If you don’t have such a crossover, IME you’re better off just driving the speaker with the amp you have.

One of the founders of BAT, Steven Bednarski, was a customer of ours and had 8bs. He drove them with our MA-1s which at the time (1990) were 100 Watt mono OTLs. That is why I say this speaker is tube-friendly. Steven’s warranty form says that the amp was the best he had ever heard so I have to assume it worked pretty well.

So I’d just hook that QS up and play tunes! Use the 4 Ohm tap if memory serves.

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