Need speaker advice


Hej


I'm looking for a new pair of speakers. The reason for this is that I find my Tannoy Legacy Eaton a little too difficult to drive for my 2x12w Audion Audio Sterling. I also feel that the Tannoys are a little too relaxed and a little rolled off.

One problem with brands like Tekton and nsmt is that I live in Sweden and I do not have the opportunity to listen to them (which I assume is the same problem in the US) and to send them back if I don't like them is not financially defensible. To take a chance on one of these brands I really have to be sure that they are what I’m looking for. I don’t think this will happend.

I heard Klipsch Heresey III which I didn't like. To my taste, they were too much on my face and too harsh. Could have been the room and/or the amplifier and/or ...?

I listen to all kinds of music, from progressive rock to classical music.
My listening position is 6.6 feet from the speakers.
My budget is aprox $ 7,200.

Any suggestions?


simna
I have Tektons (Electron SEs) and I love them.  I was less than enthusiastic about the looks at first but they grew on me.  Especially when you hear what comes out of them.  I think the perfect SET would be the best model for your amp.  I recommend getting a model with the tweeter array (even though it makes them look like some kind of weird spider).  The midrange coming from them is gorgeous.

The other 2 I might recommend are +1 to the Omegas.  I have a pair of the Alnico monitors and they are really wonderful, especially with tubes.  However, I listen mostly to jazz and classical.  Not sure how well they'd rock out.  Another option you might consider is Zu Audio.  They are among my favorite speakers to look at and they also do great with low watt tube amplification.  From what I've heard, these speakers do like to rock out and sound great with jazz too.  Good hunting
New klipsch are not bright.  I recently heard them and I've never been a klipsch fan but now I would really love to own a pair.  Every easy to drive.  I think I heard them on a 12 watt tube.  Good luck. 
I have the tannoy legacy Ardens and wanted to drive them with a leben cs300xs with 15w... It nearly did and fine with vocal and acoustic but anything quicker and more dynamic... No

Don't sell the speakers... I went to a Luxman integrated A class 550ax2... Cracking phono mm/MC stage built in. 20w class A bit think must be higher as it never struggles. 

They are just made for each other... I listen for hours and never think... What if I changed...... (?) 
If you have to change speakers... Klipsch way.. Heresy IV are super refined and a world better than III or go for forte or Cornwall.... Yum
I try to think long.

If you love that amp as you say you do:

I wouldn’t be too concerned with tubes, it’s only expensive every few years.

think hard about rearranging things to fit them, perhaps near/behind your speakers, short speaker cables (less $ to try others in the future).

speakers: double power: your chance of finding a great deal, new or used, are increased by more options available at a high and/or a bit lower efficiency, again, now and future.

live long.
I own the Tannoy Sterlings. Auditioned them with the Luxman integrated. A great match. I would purchase the Luxman however don't need the phonostage. 
Look for Diesis Audio for open baffles , and Wolf von Langa Son!!!! really good speakers!!!!
Hello,
I agree about the looks of the Tektons. I feel the same way about Maggie’s. But I love the sound of both. Dali speakers are made close by. They came out with a black edition with 6” drivers. Only 400 pairs were made for the us. Their sensitivity is 90db. Maybe this would be good enough. I would break them in on a stronger amp for a few weeks to get the drivers really loose. You are a few miles away from my favorite store in the states. https://holmaudio.com/
But these and maybe another models would be a great option. 
Post removed 
I love SET too, and have used SETs that produce from 1 to 14 watts output. I have a pair of Tannoy Cheviot - so I understand your feeling of Tannoy Eaton :-)

What I use now is a pair of Sonus Faber FM2 speakers with a 2A3 SET (3watt output) - the sound is superb, at least for vocal, solo piano, and chamber music that I usually listen to.

I did have a Pass XA25. I decided to pair FM2 speakers with my 2A3 SET at the end and sold my XA25.
simna

Sweet little amp. Since you are sitting close to it you might like the ProAc Tablet it is said to do well with low watt amplifiers. I had heard good things about the Larsen speakers and thought they had one that didn't need lots of power. 
Zu audio dirty weekend mk 2.  Again like Tekton, it is a US brand but I think they would fit the bill.  I believe Zu and Tekton are similar in sound.  They are made in the same state, I read the owner's are friends, and I believe they have a similar philosophy, but zu spends more time on fit and finish(better looking imo than the tekton)   I have a pair of Zu's I believe they are 97db and 12 ohm. I run them with a Rogue tube integrated and they dont need much volume to sing.  Great rock speaker or any genre.  My only gripe is that even though they are detailed and voiced very well, the lowest bass octaves are lacking(better than most and detailed bass, but not the kind of bass that moves a lot of air.)  Think of them as huge bookshelf speakers.  If you have a rel, you could possibly get good full range for cheap. I upgraded to the clarity caps from zu and they are hard to pick apart.(Especially for $1200 US shipped) I didnt expect much from them but they always impress me when I hear them.  I know guys that run flea amps on them to (almost) concert levels.  Good luck!

@adam8179

These ”spider eyes” are the only thing that I think is likeable about Tekton speaters. Sorry. If it ends up with Tekton (The Perfect Set I think is the most interesting) it has to be with black finish. The black finish is the best looking. And I hate black speakers ;).

For Zu audio speakers, I have heard, subs are a must, which seems to me like buying an unfinished speaker. But I don’t know. Have never heard any and there are no dealers for Zu i Sweden.


@djones51

I can’t find much on these speakers. Nowere to be found in Sweden to my knowlage.


@pcc67

I haven’t heard the new ones just the Heresy III. Forte IV looks very nice, but I don’t like that so many reviewers says that Klipsch Heresy, Forte and Cornwall are ”labeled” as a ”Rock speaker”. Some expressly say that these speakers are nothing for classical music. And I really like classical musik, as much as rock music. So…


@richdirector

I will probably sell the Tannoys (as my ATC SCM 19 v2) when I buy new ones.
Yes, I really wanted that the Klipsch sound would be my sound. The look very nice.


@elliottbnewcombjr

I like to roll tubes and have already more than I will live to wear out ;) But mostly pairs, not quads.


@ilkeresmer

More ”exotic” speakers that I would love to have a chance to listen too, but...nowhere to be found in Sweden.


@ferrox

Another speaker brand I can’t find in Sweden. Unfortunatly.


@hshifi

90 dB is just one dB more sensitive, so…
”You are a few miles away from my favorite store in the states.” Is there a place in the US called Sweden? I know that many of your ancestors came from Sweden, but a place called Sweden in the US?

I’m from ”good old country of Sweden” in Europe :)


@ffzz

But isn’t Sonus Faber FM2 just a small stand mount at 84dB sensitivity?


@russbutton

To find a pair of Avalon Ascent within my budget would be hard. But I saw that they are not sensitive speakers, even if they are flat in their resistance they will be to hard to drive for 2x12w.


@sounds_real_audio

ProAc Tablet? They are rated at 86dB sensitivity, but their nominal impedance are stated to 10 ohms!!! They are very small stand mounts. Defenitly needs subs.

@aubbrin570 

No dealer for Zu Audio in Sweden. But I know the dealer in Denmark where I bought Audio Audio also have Zu speakers. But it’s a long way to drive if I wanna audition them. I saw a you tube clip where they described a Zu speaker as having an A shaped sound profile. What they meant by that was that Zu speakers lacks bass and being rolled off in the treble. The medecine to that was to add a sub and have them toed in at the listener (if I remember correctly).


@1111art

Dali speakers are to hard to drive with 2x12w.


When I was a dealer I had a number of monitor speakers and with the good ones I never felt the need for a sub woofer. I guess that is because I was very satisfied with the midrange which is where the music resides. 


If you look at FM2’s spec, the only thing that seems SET friendly is its high impedance (over 8ohm). But it turns out that, I enjoy them better when pairing them with my 2A3 vs. XA25. 
FM2s were made at least three decades ago- there may be new book shelf speakers that work well with your amp, especially when you sit less than 7 ft away from them.




@ffss,
Very interesting ( Many would say unexpected) outcome you describe. Is your 2A3 amplifier SET or PSET ? What do they do better than the Pass Labs XA 25 when paired with your Sonus Faber speakers? This situation reminds me of the Rogers LS3 5/A BBC monitors, low sensitivity (82-84 db) but very easy to drive 15 ohm impedance load. Some listeners used them quite successfully with low power tube amplifiers.
Charles
You don't need more bass you need more music. 

Not sure I am allowed to say that on audiogon....
The Devore Orangutang O/93 are at least 93 db efficient. I would try that since they are available in Sweden. Maybe you have to avoid high volume and rock.

https://audioconcept.se/produkt/devore-fidelity-orangutan-o-93/

Or go for Thivan which are 98 db (includes built-in bass amp). Don't know if they have them in the store, you'll have to ask.
https://audioconcept.se/produkt/thivan-grand-open/