Best contemporary speaker under $100k for Lamm ML2.x type amplifiers?

[KeithR]

While the list above no doubt includes many fine examples, I saw nothing that really spoke to me. That might be a different conclusion based on actual listening!! The only Euro brand on that list I might consider is Karma. Posing my original question was not based on dissatisfaction with my current Lamm/Wilson setup. In a few years I'll consider moving to the Alexx v2 assuming that speaker happens; I confess to being very happy with their service and support. In the meantime I'm focusing more on improving my front-end electronics though I don't want to go into that here.

So no real insights from me, but thanks for asking. I envy your ability to travel as you have.

Thanks for the update. Perhaps at Axpona you can hear some of these brands. I have to say, Avantgarde, Stenheim, and Devore all have excellent service and support from my experience.

 

[thomask]

I made registration for Axpona 2020 half an hour ago.

I wish to go through updated speakers and some headphones there.

 

[Elberoth]

16'W x 20'L x 8'H ft

~4.9 x ~6.1 x ~2.4 m

I just bought myself a vintage Sonus faber Electa Amtor mk.1 speakers. They are 87dB, but 8 Ohm (6 Ohm minimum). I'm driving them with Graaf GM-20 OTL amp which is 20WPC in a room similar to yours 4.3 x 5.8m and they sound just superb.

IMO 18W with easy to drive 87-88dB speaker is doable in your room, but much depends on the type of music you are listening to.

Personally, I'm eagier to try the Fink Audio Borg speakers with my Graaf. They have been designed by Karl Heinz Fink - one of the most briliant speaker designers.

They thick all the right boxes for me:

- very easy to drive
- greater than avg sensitivity
- ribbon tweeter
- big paper woofer
- measure great

You can read a glowing review in HiFi Critic (an ad free mag):

https://www.finkteam.com/fttranslat...HFC_Borg_HRez2.ae2-brochure-low-res-red-1.pdf

I have heard them 3 or 4 times already and always have been impressed. I would love to try them with my Graaf OTL amp.

 

[morricab]

I just bought myself a vintage Sonus faber Electa Amtor mk.1 speakers. They are 87dB, but 8 Ohm (6 Ohm minimum). I'm driving them with Graaf GM-20 OTL amp which is 20WPC in a room similar to yours 4.3 x 5.8m and they sound just superb.

IMO 18W with easy to drive 87-88dB speaker is doable in your room, but much depends on the type of music you are listening to.

Personally, I'm eagier to try the Fink Audio Borg speakers with my Graaf. They have been designed by Karl Heinz Fink - one of the most briliant speaker designers.

They thick all the right boxes for me:

- very easy to drive
- greater than avg sensitivity
- ribbon tweeter
- big paper woofer
- measure great

You can read a glowing review in HiFi Critic (an ad free mag):

https://www.finkteam.com/fttranslat...HFC_Borg_HRez2.ae2-brochure-low-res-red-1.pdf

I have heard them 3 or 4 times already and always have been impressed. I would love to try them with my Graaf OTL amp.

Graaf GM20 is a great amp! Try it with something like Odeon or Ref 3A.

 

[Gregadd]

 

[morricab]

View attachment 59954

Tiny speaker system...

 

[heihei]

The Borgs are great - heard them in Munich a couple of times and found them really engaging and a rare combination of sweet treble and impactful bass. When I had a guess at the price though, I was quite disappointed, although this happens a lot at Munich!

 

[jeff1225]

The Borgs are great - heard them in Munich a couple of times and found them really engaging and a rare combination of sweet treble and impactful bass. When I had a guess at the price though, I was quite disappointed, although this happens a lot at Munich!

Resistance is futile!

 

[Gregadd]

Tiny speaker system...

in my dream system I have it paired with direct treated triode. Iwould build a room modeled after Steve Williams' old room.

 

[morricab]

in my dream system I have it paired with direct treated triode. Iwould build a room modeled after Steve Williams' old room.

That's a nice dream...

In my main system (SETs and horns) I use only direct heated triode. I do have a couple of interesting amps in my secondary system, a SEP (EL34) and a push/pull Class A triode (EL84 wired in triode) but neither is remotely close to my Aries Cerat Genus.

 

[morricab]

I just bought myself a vintage Sonus faber Electa Amtor mk.1 speakers. They are 87dB, but 8 Ohm (6 Ohm minimum). I'm driving them with Graaf GM-20 OTL amp which is 20WPC in a room similar to yours 4.3 x 5.8m and they sound just superb.

IMO 18W with easy to drive 87-88dB speaker is doable in your room, but much depends on the type of music you are listening to.

Personally, I'm eagier to try the Fink Audio Borg speakers with my Graaf. They have been designed by Karl Heinz Fink - one of the most briliant speaker designers.

They thick all the right boxes for me:

- very easy to drive
- greater than avg sensitivity
- ribbon tweeter
- big paper woofer
- measure great

You can read a glowing review in HiFi Critic (an ad free mag):

https://www.finkteam.com/fttranslat...HFC_Borg_HRez2.ae2-brochure-low-res-red-1.pdf

I have heard them 3 or 4 times already and always have been impressed. I would love to try them with my Graaf OTL amp.

That Fink is an interesting speaker but it is surprising that it has a lowish sensitivity given what looks like a pro driver (these are usually up to around 94-96db for a 10 inch driver) mid/bass and an AMT driver that is also well over 90db in senstivity (maybe even closer to 100db). This means that they have likely padded down both drivers in the attempt to optimize the frequency response I would imagine. This means then that quite a lot of power is lost in the crossover but it also means that the drivers are not working very hard and could still deliver some "jump".

We see this in our Dynamikks Athos 10 model. It is rated at 91db (in passive mode...half active is 97db) due to the woofer not having such a high sensitivity (the coax "head" unit is much more sensitive). The speaker has serious effortless dynamics and relaxed presentation with high resolution despite having still a somewhat conventional sensitivity.

 

[Exlibris]

We heard the Cubus' together in Munich for the first time and I was blown away
I don't remember what amps they used back then but I think they where at least hybrids or even full tube?
In later years they changed to mola mola amps and all the magic was gone completely

Some time later, I once schlepped my "little" KR 350i to a proud Cubus owner and while it was VERY good already with his hybrid amps (made by Mr. Lansche himself), they completely transformed driven by my little KR 350i 30 watts/ch from excellent to magical
Very palpable, immediate and dynamic, just magical

For those who have heard both, how does the Lansche Cubus compare to the Odeon No. 33?

 

[christoph]

For those who have heard both, how does the Lansche Cubus compare to the Odeon No. 33?

You probably don't want to know
But then again, the Cubus is more than double the price of the 33

 

[Exlibris]

You probably don't want to know
But then again, the Cubus is more than double the price of the 33

That's what I was afraid of.

 

[christoph]

That's what I was afraid of.

Then why ask
And the Cubus' are very big double-side by side-coffins
The 33 are way more elegant, especially in matte white with white high gloss horns

 

[marty]

Fun thread.
One of the most impressive speakers I heard at AXPONA was the Vimberg Tonda
https://vimberg.de/

Vimberg is the sister company of Tidal (same build quality at a fraction of the cost) and the reviews are stellar. Prices are an impressive 31K and 25K for the Tonda and Mino respectively. Don't know if the ~90 dB sensitivity will work but the Tonda (right) is a heck of a speaker

 

[Exlibris]

Then why ask
And the Cubus is a very big double-side by side-coffins
The 33 are way more elegant, especially in matte white with white high gloss horns

I'm not a fan of Acapella speakers but I have been impressed by their Ion tweeter. I imagine the plasma tweeter in the Cubus sounds fantastic.
I also like the idea of the 18" woofer. I had imagined that both of these would perform well beyond the Odeon 33 or 38.
Is the horn midrange of the Cubus, however, vastly better than the Odeon models as well?

 

[christoph]

I'm not a fan of Acapella speakers but I have been impressed by their Ion tweeter. I imagine the plasma tweeter in the Cubus sounds fantastic.
I also like the idea of the 18" woofer. I had imagined that both of these would perform well beyond the Odeon 33 or 38.
Is the horn midrange of the Cubus, however, vastly better than the Odeon models as well?

From memory, I would say that the mids are the area where they are the most similar

 

[morricab]

You probably don't want to know
But then again, the Cubus is more than double the price of the 33

Not so sure the gap is that large. I had a customer with the predecessor of Cubus, Goa, and even with KR Kronzillas on it I wouldn’t swear it was better than a 33. Only heard Cubus at shows with you and I agree it was pretty darn good...

 

[jep123]

Verity Audio Sarastro, Great speakers and a relatively easy amp load as well.