I'm not really a fan. Tidal I believe also builds mega-buck speakers with MDF. I think in 2014, we have moved on to much better materials than a decade ago. YMMV and all that stuff.
Tube Friendly "Big" high end speakers
- Thread starter bgupton
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I'm not really a fan. Tidal I believe also builds mega-buck speakers with MDF. I think in 2014, we have moved on to much better materials than a decade ago. YMMV and all that stuff.
Probably you read and heard from the speaker designers who do not use MDF.
Speaker manufacturers such as B&W, Focal, Zellaton and Nola present valid reasons why they prefer MDF for their very expensive speakers. Although I also love the idea of fancy materials and shapes, I could not read in their proponents any real reason why I should prefer their solution. Specially because the properties of the materials are presented in a way to be understood by children, ignoring the important technical and subjective parameters, and are mainly used as a marketing argument.
IMHO in speaker box materials and design we have many alternatives and the important thing is the final result - any prejudice will only create some kind of bias expectation, either positive or negative.
Oh, no Peter! Are you speaking seriously?
As far as I remember Tannoy's were build from particle board and fiberboard - not even MDF! But yes, Tannoy's can be very enjoyable in adequate systems. Long ago I was offered a pair of Westminster's for a very low price, but unfortunately they were too large for my house ...
That's pretty darn good.
Be careful about "getting" the final 5%.
Could get very expensive for minimal gains.
Yes, I am. The OP wants large speakers that offer full range sound and are tube friendly. They may be just right for that room. See this link:
http://jeffsplace.me/wordpress/?p=5464
Proac Carbon 6 or Eight's...used would fit your budget http://app.audiogon.com/listings/fu...wide-shipping-from-canada-2014-10-15-speakers
Vapor Audio Joule Black http://www.vaporsound.com/speakers/joule-black/
The New Kef Reference 5 (or 3 with subs) http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/hi-fi_series/THE_REFERENCE/overview/
Vapor Audio Joule Black http://www.vaporsound.com/speakers/joule-black/
The New Kef Reference 5 (or 3 with subs) http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/hi-fi_series/THE_REFERENCE/overview/
Yes, perhaps you should have. I like the Johnny Walker ad. Great photo, but I don't think I would be on the phone or reading the paper in such a situation.
You are lucky to have a big and fantastic room. TAD's Reference 1 Speaker would be great. Wilson MAXX series 3 would be fantastic too !
I have experience with Audio Research on both speakers. The TAD as well as the Wilson's work flawlessly with the Reference 75 Amplifier. 75WPC.
I have both speakers on special. Both speakers will fill your requirements.
Call me at ********
Any other dealers want to chime in with special offers? Speakers for the select few?
It does have a LOT of disadvantages. The advantages are it's cheap, easy to machine, and it very flat so it can be painted.
If you're ever in a higher end woodshop, throw a piece of MDF on the vacuum table CNC machine. Air passes through it like it's not even there! Just about every CNC operator uses a sheet of MDF as the wasteboard, a piece that goes under what you're cutting that can be thrown away once chewed up. Reason being, air passes right through it and the vacuum will still hold down the board on top of it.
Other bad about MDF - doesn't hold a screw and screws loosen over time, it's very compressible (very low Rockwell hardness) and mounting drivers to something soft/squishy hurts transient attack, low tensile strength needs to be compensated for by laminating multiple layers together and once you start mounting drivers in 2-3" thick baffles the tunnel they're housed in starts to resonate.
... since I'm a manufacturer who doesn't use MDF, feel free to take that all with a grain of salt.
I am using the Nola Concert Grand Gold Reference and they don't come more tube friendly. Spectacular speakers and the best I have ever owned. Running them with a "lowly" REF75 with KT150s and REF10. Simple setup (except the weight), very accurate and imaging to die for. Plus a sense of intimacy I have never experienced from a large speaker. I have owned large speakers in the past, have never been happy as I usually find myself gravitating towards a smaller monitor type speaker. The CGR are as accurate and dynamic at all SPLs which I love. Truly remarkable speaker. I have had them for close to a year and have never looked back. Definitely worth a listen if you want a big tube friendly tube speaker. This is what they were designed for. OH and by the way, the REF75 with KT150 NEVER runs out of power and I have mine in a 30x24 room, although I will soon be trying the new GS150 amp.
I know you said that you were not keen on the looks of horns and that you were not pleased with your Klipsch experience so you may dismiss this recco out of hand. But I believe the builder has executed a near perfect horn loaded speaker that takes what Klipsch does to a remarkable level.
http://www.voltiaudio.com/vittora.shtml
http://www.voltiaudio.com/vittora.shtml
These off course , i heard a lot of so called high eff / easy to drive speakers at a dealer last week , no contest , these sound extremely stable and can sound huge if asked for on all kinds of music , not like some " high end designs " which will only sound good with small ensembles/ voices but are in fact very limited in daily use , and much of the coherence falls apart , these are to speak with cowboy " Frank " in the movie : once upon a time in the west , The end of the Line
They will be in the 55K - 60 K euro price range though new, no direct sale
DSC_0126 by andromeda61, on Flickr
They will be in the 55K - 60 K euro price range though new, no direct sale
DSC_0126 by andromeda61, on Flickr
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