Speakers for low wattage amp tube

[Kartingboy]

Hello to all the comunity!
i ordered a Leben CS300Xs (15W EL84)
I'm looking for a pair of speakers (not too expensive) to buy in the used market. I would prefer stand speakers but towers ar not excluded at prior.

at first I will pair it with my cheap old Indiana Line 022 (93dB sensivity - They should be a quite easy load but i can't find the impedance/phase graph nowhere on the web)

What would you suggest me to search for?
I see that is not easy to find good speakers for this little tube amp.

Please let me know! Yuor help is appreciated very much!

Best regards,
Fabrizio

 

[jae]

Welcome to ASR!

What is your budget? Listening distance/volume? https://ascendacoustics.com/products/sierra-lx-pair are well-performing for $1500 US, I suppose you may need more power for further listening though. Many people here are focused on active loudspeakers and more or less load-agnostic amplification like modern class-d module based amplifiers although I'm sure someone will be able to chime in with some more suggestions.

 

[Kartingboy]

Hi!
thanks for the tip.
About 6/7 feet i guess. Max 10.
1500 max 2000, not more. It's very difficult to find good efficiency speakers at reasonable price!
I never heard about Sierra LX, now i look for more info.

In the last days i found interesting informations about HSU speakers. Do you know these? it's an american brand

HB-1 MK2 Speaker

The HB-1 MK2 is an affordable and compact speaker known for its wide soundstage and fatigue-less listening experience. Most affordable and smallest speaker in the HSU lineup Horn loaded which provides more efficiency in high frequencies Controlled directivity horn allows for a smoother, more...

www.hsuresearch.com

 

[Kartingboy]

also this model seems very interesting, it mounts a coaxial woofer with horn inside

CCB-8 Speaker

The CCB-8, a constant directivity horn made in collaboration with Don Keele, is one of the industry’s best performing speakers when it comes to smooth, musical, off-axis response. Inspired by the HSU subs, the CCB-8 offers a variable tuning feature that gives you the most flexibility for dynamic...

www.hsuresearch.com

 

[Chrispy]

You may be interested in these reviews then

Hsu Research CCB-8 Bookshelf Speaker Review

The CCB-8 is an audacious new speaker featuring an 8" woofer utilized as a waveguide for a center-mounted tweeter. Read our review of the Hsu Research CCB-8 bookshelf speakers for our impressions.

www.audioholics.com

HSU Research HB-1 Bookshelf Speaker Review

When a company like HSU Research with a reputation for making quality products (in this case subs) at extremely affordable prices announces a new product, we all sit up at attention. The HB-1 is a

www.audioholics.com

 

[MAB]

You should send the amp back and buy a reasonable amplifier and save up for good speakers. Fine if you want high efficiency speakers, but that amp is a boat anchor and really limits what you can drive. It simply doesn't have enough power. I don't know if it has other issues, but the lack of power is going to really limit you. Unless you have money to burn, spending 10x on an amp compared to speakers is a waste. And spending money on a tube amp is a double-waste. And the low power output makes it a triple waste.

If you had read and asked ASR before you started purchasing, you would have know this...
But honestly, I would return the amp and start over.

 

[MarkS]

Yeah, that amp costs $4800:

Leben Hi-Fi CS-300XS Integrated Amplifier

SMALL AND POWERFUL TUBE EL84 (MADE BY "SOVTEK" / RUSSIA) CS-300X(S) is equipped with SOVTEK Tube EL-84 which has been welknown by audiophiles for its high sound quality against its small size. A high input sensitivity of EL84 does not require a complicated circuit and accordingly, it can...

donbetteraudio.com

The coaxial HSU's are $800. With a total budget of $5600 for amp+speakers, you can get much better sound than this combo.

 

[Kartingboy]

Returning the amp is not an option at the moment.
It's such a long time that I want one. I listened to it paired with tannoy autograph mini and it was an excellent match.
I have a vintage solid state Sansui + JBL L112 that I use mainly for rock/metal music.
I would like a tube system for softer and more acoustical genres.

 

[MAB]

Returning the amp is not an option at the moment.
It's such a long time that I want one. I listened to it paired with tannoy autograph mini and it was an excellent match.
I have a vintage solid state Sansui + JBL L112 that I use mainly for rock/metal music.
I would like a tube system for softer and more acoustical genres.

Then you should have bought the Tannoy’s. The amp had nothing to do with the good sound you heard. You fell in love at first sight with the amp, but you really love the speaker. Sounds like a play by Shakespeare!

 

[Kartingboy]

Do you know Leben amps?
Did you ever listen anything paired with it ?

 

[Talisman]

If someone wants advice on high-efficiency loudspeakers to drive with their little tube, I don't see the point in proposing something totally different.
He likes what he bought, he just wants advice on speakers.

We don't necessarily have to direct anyone on this site to the things we like, especially if those who ask do so politely and without any controversy, as in this case.

Returning to the thread, for now the pair of klipsch rp8000f are around 1500 euros and should have good sensitivity (the manufacturer declares imaginative values like 98db but in reality they should still be close to 93/94 db) for me they are also very beautiful to be seen with the big copper woofers

 

[Kartingboy]

Hi Talisman,
Klipsch should be great speakers for tubes. At least from what I heard among music lovers.
Often they use to pair tubes with klipsch (more of the time is the heresy model)

 

[MattHooper]

You should send the amp back and buy a reasonable amplifier and save up for good speakers. Fine if you want high efficiency speakers, but that amp is a boat anchor and really limits what you can drive. It simply doesn't have enough power. I don't know if it has other issues, but the lack of power is going to really limit you. Unless you have money to burn, spending 10x on an amp compared to speakers is a waste. And spending money on a tube amp is a double-waste. And the low power output makes it a triple waste.

If you had read and asked ASR before you started purchasing, you would have know this...
But honestly, I would return the amp and start over.

From the moment the OP was posted, this reply was coming as sure as death and taxes

 

[rolloj]

May I suggest, though I don't know what country you are in , the following two speaker companies have models that the Leben would be appropriate.

Devore Fidelity and Audio Note speakers.

Orangutan Series – DeVORE FIDELITY

Next line of defense would be REAL Horn Speakers: Avantgarde Acoustic, Lowther, or Beauhorn speakers

 

[Kartingboy]

Hi rolloj
I'm from Italy, Genoa
Yes, I do know both brands and they are excellent with very good reputation. Devore is out of range at the moment.
It would be great to find a pair of audio note an/e in the used market. They are not so over priced.
Many thanks for the tips.

Do you have any experience with these brands?

 

[MattHooper]

May I suggest, though I don't know what country you are in , the following two speaker companies have models that the Leben would be appropriate.

Devore Fidelity and Audio Note speakers.

Orangutan Series – DeVORE FIDELITY

Seconded!

The Devore O series speakers (O/96 and O/93) are often paired with the Leben tube amps. I've heard that pairing and it was glorious (for my tastes).
Of course it depends not only on what you are looking for, sonically, but on your budget. The O/93 isn't a big floor standing speaker and would be the cheaper of the two on the used market. The O/93 average around $5,800 USD on the used market. There's also the new cheaper O/baby speakers from Devore:

O/baby Speakers – DeVORE FIDELITY

I've really wanted to hear those.

 

[Kartingboy]

O baby model Is beautiful. Surely they sound good. No doubt. Very interesting. Thanks!

 

[MAB]

From the moment the OP was posted, this reply was coming as sure as death and taxes

You know.
And, the post is true.

 

[rolloj]

Hi rolloj
I'm from Italy, Genoa
Yes, I do know both brands and they are excellent with very good reputation. Devore is out of range at the moment.
It would be great to find a pair of audio note an/e in the used market. They are not so over priced.
Many thanks for the tips.

Do you have any experience with these brands?

Ciao K,

Love Genoa and Pesto!

My first horn speaker was the Avantgarde Uno. Was driven by a Wavelength 2a3/45 mono block amplifier. Perfect match, but the 'shout' was overbearing
at times. I would try to buy used and search for any speaker with a dB above 96. Currently listening to Cabasse and Accuphase integrated.
Try to find a horn loaded speaker to listen to....

 

[Kartingboy]

Hi Jim
actually I considered it lately
I never tried to build speakes but in my case it's a good option I should consider seriously.