Reasonably sensitive speakers for tube amps, max $2k/pair, new or used


While this topic has been covered before, I'm interested in both recent experiences with new products or anyone who just would like to chime in.

I have a couple friends interested in tube amps, lower wattage -- 40 wpc or below. Before they pull the trigger there, they need to find the best higher sensitivity speakers they can, hopefully at $2k or below, new or used.

QUESTION: What high sensitivity speakers would you recommend to them, new or used? What did you try and NOT like?
Characterizations of their sound, experience with a trial period, the company, etc. appreciated.

I'll pass the best answers and links along to them.
128x128hilde45

Showing 3 responses by rickallen81

Tekton but don’t return them or you’ll regret it. The owner is a prick and doesn’t care what nice you decide to return. 
Zu is super patient and takes returns no questions asked. They make really good matches for tube amps just take care in your tube selection to maximize the good virtues and minimize the bad. I found 6922 tubes and KT66 in my Decware amp to produce the best Sonics and balance with none of the distortion or shout that they can have. 
Used try spatial audio. I ended up with these after Zu and love them 
In my opinion the guy is a prick. He’s dismissive to questions over email and just wants you to call so he can ignore your call for weeks on end. Once you do get him on the phone, he treats you like a moron who should stop asking questions and just give him the money. Asked about the return policy and he went into a rant about people who complain about paying a restock fee of hundreds of dollars and how it’s a criminal act against small business owners like
himself to be pressured into offering free trials to sell their products and that companies that do it are desperate and that I’d be stupid to expect a free trial.  I said it wasn’t a super attractive proposition to have to pay a couple hundred bucks if they end up not being what I want and he just sighed and said he’d call me back some other time.  Also, I’m less than an hour from the factory and said I could pick them up and bring them back personally in the event they didn’t work to save the costs he said he incurred to necessitate the restock fee. He refused and said I had to pay no matter what. 
Other people have had better experiences I’m sure and maybe I caught him on an off day, but didn’t make me want to buy anything from him.  Seems like he wants to make his margin off of you whether you buy or don’t buy. There are better products with better and more gracious folks behind them is all I’m saying. 
To those who maybe think I was being to demanding or too time consuming for Eric Alexander to be courteous, I had two main questions regarding my amp wattage and type and my room size to get an idea of what speaker would be the best match. The whole interaction was a one sentence email response for me to call the shop instead of emailing (which I thought would be easier so he could answer in his own time) and then me attempting 2-3 times over a few weeks to call and get no response. I finally got him a few weeks later and our phone call was less than a few minutes. I know what overbearing is and I’m self aware enough to know when I’m being that and when I’m not. The phone call lasted three minutes or so and made it clear to me I was not important and he didn’t give a sh!t about my business. Just shook my head after the call like “what the the hell was that all about? F me for wanting to ask a question”. 
So yeah probably an off day for him but still, I couldn’t think of a single thing I had done to warrant his response. Do they make good speakers? Maybe they do. I don’t care to try them now. YMMV but my experience was not good so it’s not worth chasing the guy to see if he’ll be nicer next time. I’ll move on and I did. Just a caveat emptor over here….