SET friendly speakers for a small room?

Hi
I'm looking for suggestions for speakers to suit a small room, approx 9'6" x 11' that can be adequately powered by an 8W single ended 300B amp. Your thoughts please.
Thanks

 

Avantgarde Solo perhaps or build a cabinet to run a pair of Lowther/Fostex drivers full range in?

 

Hi Malcolm,

Can the speakers be put in corners or do the have to be away from the walls? Floorstanders or speakers on stands?
How much funiture is in the room?
Whats the rest of your system? do you still have the Art Audio Argento?
How much do you want to spend?

SCIDB

 

Hi SCIDB

The speakers could be positioned in corners or free space.
Floorstanders or standmounts? I don't mind either
Not much furniture, cd racks small side table and chair. The room is carpeted. Yes it's a bit live and I will sort that out in time.
Opus 21 cd and yes the Argento though will probably change that to an Air Tight ATM 300 assumin 8W is enough for the speakers.
Budget up to £3-4K if required.

Thanks
Malcolm

 

Thanks for the suggestions, any idea of the price of the Solo?

 

Hi, not entirely sure and I think UK prices are a little volatile at the moment due to Euro exchange rates, but I think around 4 or 5 grand. Give Graham at GT Audio a tinkle.

 

OK Thanks

 

Think I saw the same question on Pink Fish.

That's a whopping budget for a near field speaker.

Lots of options, could do worse than some J's. Significantly below 1k second hand.

http://www.audionote.co.uk/products/speakers/an-j_01.shtml

The E's will be too big for your small room I feel, but you could perhaps get by... just. About 1k used, perhaps slightly more.

The older Snell speakers are pretty similar for a lot less dough. If you want the latest greatest, a pair of J's sounds like a good bet for a small room. The fact that you can put them near the wall will help in your confined space.

 

http://www.dagogo.com/AudioNoteANJ-SPe.html

 

Thanks Bottleneck, I shall look into the J's. I have heard they are not so detailed, a bit 'broad brush' is that true do you think?

 

They use the same drive units as the 'E' speakers, which I lived with for a few years. Still have a pair locked up in fact.

I wouldn't describe them in those terms.. they have a decent enough tweeter, and a simple crossover - the music comes through.

The 8" bass cone in a nice wide baffle produces a 'healthier' sound than you frequently get from today's modern slim-baffled-small-bass-cone monitors.

A high efficiency makes them very suitable for a SET amp or similar.

Many high efficiency designs trade some neutrality for their high efficiency, and I feel this is one area the Es and Js are strong.

I would reccomend trying to hear a pair with a good valve amp on a home demo.

Their near wall placement would also suit your size limited surroundings.


Other high-efficiency designs I can think of are either hard to use in a very small room (like horns), or err on the wrong side of neutrality, such as many lowther/fostex designs.


Of course, if we move away from high efficiency monitors onto 'any kind' and change the 8w SET amp for something more powerful chocies just bloom.

 

What else is on the short list out of interest?

I can think of few high efficiency speakers for a small room that I would personally like to listen to... and am curious what you may have narrowed it down to?

 

What about some smaller old Tannoy golds, 10" or 12", love valves, bloomin efficient. Still roundly kicks the arse of many speakers out there.

...and change for a holiday!

 

I've only heard Tannoy's once and they didn't really do it for me.

 

I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours!

My shortlist is very short
Ref 3A Dulcet, Da Cappo
AN K J E maybe
Proac 1sc

err that's it (hence my post)

 

Some good speakers there. The Da Capo's - think they are about 92db? - havent heard them on a valve amp.

I love 1sc's, they do a lot of things right. I've normally heard them on the back of 30/40w push/pull valve amps rather than SET amps though. They have never struck me as highly efficient. Can't remember how efficient they are. They are nice speakers, would be worth a try I guess.


do you know Noteworthy Audio/are you near them? - good place to hear some of these.

Here is a speaker that fits the bill on paper, but I have yet to hear. I'd love to however. I don't believe they have a UK distributor?? - unknown.

http://www.ossaudio.com/lothx/ion.html#ion4

do you know this standmount? I love them, a personal favourite but not high efficiency. I've fancied a pair for a few years.

http://www.audiologica.co.uk/dalihelicon300.html

I can't really share my own speakers, they are cupboard sized and would take up half the floor space!

 

Hi Bottleneck

Thanks for your thoughts

I would like to stay with a SET if I can but I'm thinking get the right speaker for the room and then get the right amp for the speaker. I shall try and get a home dem of the 1sc with my amp and a higher power push pull.

No, I don't know that speaker at all, I'll google it and see what comes up.

If I was to forget the SET thing and have say 40w to play with what should I look at then do you think?
Thanks

 

zingalis's !!!