Hi FennerMachine, I've read most of the thread, skiped over a few bits, but the essance is, smooth and musical with good base control, no harsh tope end and not so loud either.
This desribes my requirements . . . You like the Castles, I have a pair of speaker that are circa 1990'ish, that I like the sound of. I have built a my system around what I know; 'the sound of the speakers', they were original designed as studio monitors so can be very precise, however there was a potential drive problem in that their effiency was only 87DB . . . I think that is 6ohms?
What type of amp drives hard to drive speakers . . . ? How about well designed valve amps, first a 50w Croft hybrid design, there was something lacking that I could not put my finger on although it got a bit harsh at any sort of volume . . . Moved up to a full blown, 25kg! valve amp, only 40 watts and in Triode mode only 20w!!! The speakers use basic K20 copper cable.
I listen to my PMC LB1 in wonder, great base, tight extended, mid a and top is so sooth you want to cuddle them. I persevered with the speakers, changing verious componants in the TT for that is my passion, Recently one has moved interest to the Amplifyer, I started to change valves, they all sound diferent, tried expensive valves, medium valves and cheapos . . . The cheapose did the business, delivering a sound I new was in the speakers, as one had heard shades of in in the past with other amps.
So now we are listening to a pair of old style, transmission line, studio monitors, on the end of standard, reasonable cost, 8m speaker cables, the interconects are also budget cost that I made myself 30 years ago. The whole system is using 20 watts of Triod valve power, Pre/Power combination cost around £2250.00. You have the speakers, so no expence there.
Took me about 3 months to get to the bottom of my sound requirements, its been frustrating at times but the final achievment has been worth it, and its getting better, valves sound better as they age. Great image, the base is rich, tigh and very extended, vocals are crisp, clean and very real, high frequancy I love, I have always had a thing against the 'chopper through the head sound'! I listen to Vinyl, CD and Streamed Spotify music through a budget HRT DAC. I prefer the TT, but that is my passion, one listens a lot to Spotify, (as I am at this moment), and CD, they all sound great in their own way . . . Valhalla?
. . . ??? just another way of looking at the problem . . . it aint the speakers, nore will it be solved by changing them, that would be just a very expensive sideways move . . . IMHO
CJSF
This desribes my requirements . . . You like the Castles, I have a pair of speaker that are circa 1990'ish, that I like the sound of. I have built a my system around what I know; 'the sound of the speakers', they were original designed as studio monitors so can be very precise, however there was a potential drive problem in that their effiency was only 87DB . . . I think that is 6ohms?
What type of amp drives hard to drive speakers . . . ? How about well designed valve amps, first a 50w Croft hybrid design, there was something lacking that I could not put my finger on although it got a bit harsh at any sort of volume . . . Moved up to a full blown, 25kg! valve amp, only 40 watts and in Triode mode only 20w!!! The speakers use basic K20 copper cable.
I listen to my PMC LB1 in wonder, great base, tight extended, mid a and top is so sooth you want to cuddle them. I persevered with the speakers, changing verious componants in the TT for that is my passion, Recently one has moved interest to the Amplifyer, I started to change valves, they all sound diferent, tried expensive valves, medium valves and cheapos . . . The cheapose did the business, delivering a sound I new was in the speakers, as one had heard shades of in in the past with other amps.
So now we are listening to a pair of old style, transmission line, studio monitors, on the end of standard, reasonable cost, 8m speaker cables, the interconects are also budget cost that I made myself 30 years ago. The whole system is using 20 watts of Triod valve power, Pre/Power combination cost around £2250.00. You have the speakers, so no expence there.
Took me about 3 months to get to the bottom of my sound requirements, its been frustrating at times but the final achievment has been worth it, and its getting better, valves sound better as they age. Great image, the base is rich, tigh and very extended, vocals are crisp, clean and very real, high frequancy I love, I have always had a thing against the 'chopper through the head sound'! I listen to Vinyl, CD and Streamed Spotify music through a budget HRT DAC. I prefer the TT, but that is my passion, one listens a lot to Spotify, (as I am at this moment), and CD, they all sound great in their own way . . . Valhalla?
. . . ??? just another way of looking at the problem . . . it aint the speakers, nore will it be solved by changing them, that would be just a very expensive sideways move . . . IMHO
CJSF
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