A speaker that is easy to drive (more efficient) requires less of the amplifier but also of *the preamp* as the volume does not run as high. As long as hysteresis loss does not play a role (as in a large transformer coupled tube amp) the distortion will be lower- again improving transparency.
The lesson is that if you are investing in a tube amplifier, the investment is best served by a speaker that is 8 ohms or more and high efficiency. In the old days 16 ohms was common and there were even 32 ohm speakers. Since the advent of transistors, 4 ohms has replaced 16 ohms for being 'common' but to the detriment of tubes.
Using the 4 ohm tap on a higher impedance speaker will yield more 'current' but neither the transformer nor the tubes will be properly loaded. The transformer can ring (adding distortion) so it should be loaded properly. If the 4 ohm tap is used on a 16 ohm speaker, a set of tubes with a 3K load on them will suddenly see 6K. They will not make as much power and there may be other anomalies as well. |
Atma Ralph sez: Also noticable is the increase in transparency (read: DECREASE in distortion) Likewise with more sensitive spkrs vs less sensitive. Have you noticed this & is there a reason-- or is it just my impression? Cheers |
You can DIY try PHY open baffles.I have built a quite a few PHY systems, km30 is very good, but as you say a bit costly.Sometimes I custom build PHY systems they do have a 8in that costs a bit less. |
The Tonian speakers mentioned above use the 16 ohm PHY-HP drivers, which are also used in speakers from Musical Affairs, Auditorium 23 (Solovox), and Ocellia (Kedros). All are quite expensive. Are there any other speakers that use these drivers? |
Atmasphere/others, if one has a highish imp. speaker (say 12 ohms) and the only taps are 8 and 4 on the amp, then from your comment and in general it would be obvious that the 8 ohm tap will yield better results. But I am confused and maybe I am not recalling correctly, but I seem to remember reading that using the 4 ohm tap on such speaker would control bass better?
I could be totally wrong about this, but would like some feedback on what y'all think. |
I have advocated high impedance speakers for a long time, not just for my own activities, but for the fact that any tube amplifier with a high impedance tap on the output transformer will perform noticably better with a high impedance speaker (in this case 16 or 32 ohms) then will that same amplifier on a lower impedance speaker, all other things being equal.
IOW, if you are investing in a tube amplifier, your investment dollar is best served by a speaker with higher impedance, all other things being equal. If this means 8 ohms instead of 4 that's fine but 16 is better still, if the amplifier has the capability for it.
The difference in low frequency bandwith from the higher impedance taps to the lower impedance taps on an output transformer is clearly audible and measureable. Also noticable is the increase in transparency (read: decrease in distortion). It is win-win for everyone but the transistors. |
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Their 3 BPC is switchable 4/16 ohms (in dipole), and 8 ohms in monopole operation. |
The older Altec alinco drivers from the 60s were 32 Ohm with over 100db. That's even easier to drive with less than 1 watt of juice. : ) |
Ah, Ralph, now that I see you have added your wisdom to this thread, it popped into my mind that you are the longtime guru of this topic! |
Classic Audio Reproductions makes two 16 ohm speakers, the T5 and the T1, which are both moderately high efficiency too (95 and 97db respectively). |
I also found the Moth Cicada, 12 ohms. |
Soliloquy 5.0i is 10 ohms.
Soliloquy 6.2i is 12 ohms.
Of course these are nominal values, but Soliloquys have a reputation of working well with tubes.
Also there is always the option of the Zeros (speaker impedance multiplying autoformers) by Paul Speltz. You can find these at http://www.zeroimpedance.com. |
The Alon Lotus SE are also high impedance, and supposedly work quite well with SET/OTL tube amplification. Great company as well. |
How much do the Tonians cost? There seems to be very little info on the web about them. |
The Tonian TLM-1's are 16 ohm and are some of the very best yet least known speakers I'm aware of. |
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