What's the most important upgrade in my system

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gasolin

Well-known member
The Dyns have a 87db efficiency so are not the easiest to drive.
On paper your K2 looks as if it will be ok, but I doubt it will get the best out of the Dyns.
If your heart is set on the Dyns - go for it, but maybe get a demo with a higher specced amplifier and try to compare.

So because they are 87 db speakers they are not easy to drive ?
 

manicm

Well-known member
Spec can be deceiving i had a pair of revels that were rated 87DB but quite frankly some of the easiest speakers to drive. But then it can be the other way like PMC (2023) where they state a rating like 86 and there more 81-83db, an absolute pig to drive.

But as you say dyns are famously hard to drive even with high wattage amps

In 99% of cases impedance is a more accurate indicator of suitability than output. For me the takeaway on the Evoke is not its 87db sensitivity, but its 3-4 ohm impedance which indicates that a fairly hefty amp will be required.
 

gasolin

Well-known member
sensitivity has nothing to do with speakers being hard to drive

Some small speakers it might limit the max spl dispite other small speakers can handle 100 watt with higher sensitivity

Big speakers with 87 db just means you need more power for loud music than speakers with 90 db sensitivity

Impedans and electrical phase angle (i think it's called) tells you more if the speakers are hard to drive (makes the amp hot trying to play loud) since most speakers play loud enough for most people with 100 of clean watt

Im driving my 85db rated (could be lower) speakers with an amp that has about 33-35 watt in 8 ohm and 54-56 watt in 4 ohm, they are not hard to drive, just needs more power to play loud compared to 90db sensitive speakers
 

jonathanRD

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Jan 27, 2011
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sensitivity has nothing to do with speakers being hard to drive

Some small speakers it might limit the max spl dispite other small speakers can handle 100 watt with higher sensitivity

Big speakers with 87 db just means you need more power for loud music than speakers with 90 db sensitivity

Impedans and electrical phase angle (i think it's called) tells you more if the speakers are hard to drive (makes the amp hot trying to play loud) since most speakers play loud enough for most people with 100 of clean watt

Im driving my 85db rated (could be lower) speakers with an amp that has about 33-35 watt in 8 ohm and 54-56 watt in 4 ohm, they are not hard to drive, just needs more power to play loud compared to 90db sensitive speakers
Would the size of the room be a factor then? Ie a bigger room would need the same speaker to play louder for the same effect as that in a smaller room? Therefore you would need a more powerful amplifier in a larger room?
 

gasolin

Well-known member
Would the size of the room be a factor then? Ie a bigger room would need the same speaker to play louder for the same effect as that in a smaller room? Therefore you would need a more powerful amplifier in a larger room?

If you have to fill a big room with music you often don't have small speakers with low sensitivity and if you need more than 100 watt pr channel im shure it won't be hard to find something, even on a low budget

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhAYKBSVRcQ&t
 

Dom

Well-known member
Just to make this clear, I changed my mind about the Evoke 50's, I know there the number one option for elevating sound quality, but it's just too much money.
To make my first post make more sense. Would the ultra expensive Dynaudio Evoke 50 mean buying a new amplifier. The answer is a probable, yes.
So let's say I have a budget of 1K or a little more, I think a used K3 amplifier would be nice for the Emit 30's. There plenty of power and would look nice with my K3 DAC on my rack. Or I could get some sound proofing, but it all looks ugly. I think aesthetics are important to me.
Or a mains conditioner, like the Audio Quest Niagara 1200 at £900. The reviews suggest that it deals with low level detail, the grunge so to speak. I could get a 60 day return on it. Who knows. It's all fun at the end of the day.
The other thing is that Leema Acoustics Tucana 2 is something I really wanted. I just don't want to spend that much.
Have a good night.
 
Just to make this clear, I changed my mind about the Evoke 50's, I know there the number one option for elevating sound quality, but it's just too much money.
To make my first post make more sense. Would the ultra expensive Dynaudio Evoke 50 mean buying a new amplifier. The answer is a probable, yes.
So let's say I have a budget of 1K or a little more, I think a used K3 amplifier would be nice for the Emit 30's. There plenty of power and would look nice with my K3 DAC on my rack. Or I could get some sound proofing, but it all looks ugly. I think aesthetics are important to me.
Or a mains conditioner, like the Audio Quest Niagara 1200 at £900. The reviews suggest that it deals with low level detail, the grunge so to speak. I could get a 60 day return on it. Who knows. It's all fun at the end of the day.
The other thing is that Leema Acoustics Tucana 2 is something I really wanted. I just don't want to spend that much.
Have a good night.
Where in the world are you. You seem hung up on mains conditioning, do you need it?
Suggest you really need to rethink where you're money is going because you're starting to sound a tad confusing, or is the ploy to keep this thread going as long as you can?
 
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rainsoothe

Well-known member
Just to make this clear, I changed my mind about the Evoke 50's, I know there the number one option for elevating sound quality, but it's just too much money.
I really think in your case it's not the number one option, but the amplification. I also don't understand why you think budgeting for a K3 (which would be almost no upgrade at all) + a f**k-ton of money for a mains conditioner is preferable to throwing all that budget towards a proper amplifier. I mean if this is the "upgrade" you're considering, I'm just gonna move to the "do nothing" camp. But it's your money, of course, I'm just puzzled.
 
Just to make this clear, I changed my mind about the Evoke 50's, I know there the number one option for elevating sound quality, but it's just too much money.
To make my first post make more sense. Would the ultra expensive Dynaudio Evoke 50 mean buying a new amplifier. The answer is a probable, yes.
So let's say I have a budget of 1K or a little more, I think a used K3 amplifier would be nice for the Emit 30's. There plenty of power and would look nice with my K3 DAC on my rack. Or I could get some sound proofing, but it all looks ugly. I think aesthetics are important to me.
Or a mains conditioner, like the Audio Quest Niagara 1200 at £900. The reviews suggest that it deals with low level detail, the grunge so to speak. I could get a 60 day return on it. Who knows. It's all fun at the end of the day.
The other thing is that Leema Acoustics Tucana 2 is something I really wanted. I just don't want to spend that much.
Have a good night.
Okay, you want to spend as little as possible, and get the biggest bang for your buck.
There's a nice Leema Pulse MK1 exactly the same as mine. I love the sound and I preferred it to the K2. No grainy sound, agile, very taut bass and very musical. It won't give you as big an upgrade as the Tucana, but it's a fraction of the price.
Clickety
 
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Dom

Well-known member
Dom fwiw, we don’t use any mains conditioners or after market mains extension blocks.

So do I. All my cables are component supplied. It's taken me along time to understand this. From mains to fuses. So I don't think the mains conditioner is the way forward.
A new amplifier is what I want, I was looking at the Roksan Blak but it doesn't have a pre out. So that's off the cards. So It's either the K3 or the Caspian M2.
Do you believe in component synergy ? Because I could consider another brand of amplifier. :)
 
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