Tube Amplifier & Speaker Matching?


I am planning to put an attractive stereo in a formal living room and glowing tubes looks very romantic with nice music. What are good combo of amp and speaker are recommended out there, specially with low wattage 300B types.
rechu

Showing 3 responses by rechu

Thanks Eric for a quick response, I will start listing speakers with high efficiency rating which may be tedious. I will be actually considering monitor types only for more optional placements. Alas, most of the carried brands locally that sounds great are of 89dB (B&W, Totems, Focus audio)or less that requires more wattage. Anybody has heard the new Paradigm S2 monitor? It is fairly new and tnere is not much on the web on it. Speaker & Integrated tube Amp budget is from U$3K-4K.
It is really more harder to audition Tube than solid state, in terms of quantity. I work close by the manufacturer of coincident speakers and they also carry in their name some chinese oem tube amps. It is a pity that they dont have dealers here in the Toronto area where they are located rather they sell direct thru internet. I contacted them for an audition but want me to commit in buying before they will set up an appointment. Until I can see matching set up to listen to, It will be internet browsing and forums for a while. Shall I just go for cheaper entry level system and trust what is written? Jolida, Cayin, Sophia, Cary claims good performance. Buying thru internet or audiogon ads burned me once for shipping, border taxes and the worst is the brokerage fee of parcel services. Going to coincident, I trust will not be a mistake. It might be just by chance that locally there is a matched unit out there. Esthetics also play a factor because of the living room entertainment.
I have contacted Underwood HI-FI and they have their modification done here in Ontario. If I go with their Modded Jolida, the good thing is they will drop shipping and pick-up is possible at parts connexion. Antique Sound Lab is also located here with a list of dealers sent to me.Coincident speakers are also weighing in the equation. I have to compare the Coincident Triumph UHS with the new Paradigm S2 signature monitor. I will of course listen to these speakers hook up to SETs. Integrated Amp with an upsampling CD and the monitors selected will definitely my focus now. Thanks for your kind inputs.
Rey