Single driver point source speakers vs. the world?


Okay, I've been a 'stat guy the majority of my audio life.

Recently I acquired a humble speaker that has me rethinking my entire approach to audio, i.e., big power amp requirements driving mass amounts of current to 'stats.

The speaker I'm referring to is the Cain & Cain Abby. 8 watts of 300b SET amplification into these speakers is as good as I've heard. No, they don't do bass but they excel at everything else. So the ? for those with point source design experience is does the lack of a crossover in designs equate to these types of results in other point source or single driver designs?
128x128coltrane1

Showing 1 response by coltrane1

Perhaps I'm not hearing the weaknesses other than a lack of full bass production because A) I listen namely to acoustic jazz, which these excel at...Vocals, woodwinds, brass, and strings all sound as natural as I've heard them and B) I've come from CLS's and Vista's which weren't producing mass amounts of bass anyway, but where the Abby's excel is in a lush midrange which is what I was accustomed to with the 'stats, however I couldn't sufficiently drive either the CLS's or the Vista's with an 8 watt SET, which is my main point...being able to bring a low powered amp into the mix is a welcomed and brand new thing for me personally, as I've always had speakers requiring high power demands.

In the end I'm jazzed with the Abby's, and for a very modest cost one can put together quite a system that doesn't break the bank. I'll bring a sub into the mix for LF balance.

I don't know any other speaker amp combo one could assemble at this level of performance for a home system for less than the $1500 I've got into this pairing. I'm using a GF 534 300b integrated on the Abby's and I'm anticipating the arrival of a pair of Shuguang Treasure 300b's to see what they're all about. It's kinda fun foolin' around with tubes...It's like being a newbie all over again...well it's all about fun now ain't it!