Speaker Suggestions for 300b SET Amp


I built an Elekit 8600 300b set amp recently.  It's amazing. I maxed out upgrades (all Takman resistors, Mundorf top end caps, solder/wiring, etc.).  It's a wonderful amp. It cost me $2k to build it and it's glorious.


My issue hasn't been the amp, but finding speakers that I want to use with it.  


I started with Omega XRS 8 Juniors (~$2k). I broke them in for 300 hours and, while they did get better, they largely sounded like the top and bottom ends were just truncated off at both ends the sound spectrum. They sounded more akin to a transistor radio speaker. I feel terrible to say that and I hope others really love them and hear them differently, as the company is great and the owner is wonderful. They just weren't for me.


So, I just paired the 300b up with some inefficient speakers (both KEF LS50s and Wharfedale 80th anniversary Dentons). Both speakers were part of other systems I have.  Both sets, and especially the cheaper Wharfedales, just sing with the 300b.  They do not play particularly loud given their efficiency ratings, yet they sound wonderful for very close nearfield listening. 


But what I'd like to do is go a bit more into the full range speaker category without buying a massive product. Or, I consider a smaller bookshelf/monitor if it were more efficient.


What speakers do folks like with their 300bs?  


jbhiller

Showing 4 responses by mapman

When you read the reviews of the sound, you read a lot of the same thing about Heresy III that you read about similar priced (and way less efficient) smaller monitors from the likes of ATC, Harbeth, etc. Not much if any bass below 50hz, but what you get is so enthralling you might not care for most music.

I listened at the dealer first with sub then without (by request) on some nicely recorded pop/synth stuff. Without breaking out the spectrum analyzer, in a fairly short and rushed audition granted, I was not thinking where is the bass at all with these. The dynamics and SPL possibilities with the Heresys for the price is perhaps their most unique feature. They were located low on teh stands near the front corners though mind you. They are said to be able to do realistic SPLs with percussion, large scale classical, etc., as well or better than most anything else near their price, and certainly on fewer watts. If those are things that appeal, choices may be limited with just a few watts and a modest budget.   They had my toes tapping very quickly which is always one of my litmus tests.
charles,


On floor on the tilted risers, close to front corners of the room.

A tad lower overall perhaps but not necessarily less realistic sounding than otherwise.

I use similar low profile stands with tilt (IsoAcoustics) with my smaller monitors in some rooms in my house already, as well as ear level stands in others. Both can work fine. Like most things in hifi it all depends.

With the Heresy low riser stands (not isolating as far as I know) floor interactions fattening the bass and obscuring detail might be a issue in some cases, like with many floor standers and even some monitors with stands and common suspended plywood floors, but an isolation platform underneath the risers would easily take care of that, like with a subwoofer, if needed.  This did not seem to be an issue in the dealer's showroom however.
Charles I have only heard it so far at a dealer off a decent quality A/V receiver and was very impressed with that. These are very versatile and affordable speakers with a long and strong track record. The hifi magazine reviewers even seem to reach that same conclusion these days.

They are top contenders for next speaker to try with my 60 w/ch Class D digital amp. Their versatility to go different ways down the road as needed is a big plus.

I heard the double impacts at CAF last year off a very good quality 10 w/ch tube amp and liked what I heard. Those are much bigger with a different aesthetic and a bit more costly perhaps.

For bass extension, you might want to add a sub with Heresy whereas less likely with double impact.

However, large speakers with bass extension are usually much harder to get set up just right for best possible bass in many rooms. I tend to like the smaller speaker + sub approach better for that, especially when low power main amps are in play in larger rooms.  The Tekton room at CAF was not large, about the size of your typical Marriot hotel room.

Both very viable choices I would say. It all depends.
Having researched this issue myself now for quite a while, if I were running a SET and looking for good sounding HE speakers to match on a budget, that can play ANY kind of music well, Klipsch Heresy III, hands down, easy decision. These were originally designed for flea powered tubes amps of the day ~ 50 years ago and are still around (track record) and the latest versions I’ve heard sound wonderful, none of the bad things one often hears from audiophiles about high efficiency horns apply.  See the various online reviews for more evidence of this.