Loudspeakers that go LOUD?


I recently finished off a basement room that is 24.5' x 22.5' x 8'. My beloved Tyler Linbrook Monitor Signatures sound as wonderful as ever there provided I reign in the volume control somewhat, otherwise the SEAS Excel 7" drivers start to protest. I'd really like to find some speakers that wont give up too much in quality, especially in the areas of treble refinement and in imaging, but will play loud without strain. The few horn systems I've heard sounded peaky in the treble to me, but perhaps there are some which don't. Suggestions will be gratefully received.

Parameters: For music I am into classical, opera, female vocalists like Eva Cassidy and Jennifer Warnes, movie sound tracks, shows, golden oldies, but no heavy rock or metal. Power is via a 50 watt/channel tube amp but that could be changed out. Budget: on the order of up to $3K new or used.
beemerrider
Bartok, I should've known it would be you who would cut and paste your Danish national pride. The Seas are excellent drivers and no one will dispute that. Implementation and crossovers are the only complaint I have ever heard anyone make regarding them.

Tyler does do an excellent job with them as do many other manufacturers. I've owned a couple of pairs of Tyler speakers and I like Tyler and enjoyed the speakers immensely....so much so that I began to want more.

Your blanket statement however implies that the decades that the Danes have in driver development translates into near perfection, which is not the case. That is only about a 3rd of the way home ignoring design, implementation and crossover design. Your Seas MTM design taking D'Appolito's design is likely a fabulous monitor but even D'Appolito would concede that is hardly the best. It is however very simple to make and its inherent weaknesses are covered by many factors, one of which is that the Seas drivers are good at what they are good at and the crossover is not difficult.

There are so many good drivers out there now and you appear to automatically dismiss them because they are not Seas. That is a bias you possess that EVERYONE on Audiogon is aware of. If someone built a MTM Seas with KT90's sticking out the top, you would endorse them immediately without having heard them. I'll admit that I have my biases too. I'm kindof partial to imtegrateds and Cary CD players. Each time I move for my work I tend to get new equipment because my wife is unwilling to allow me to treat a room properly, so i must "tune" the new room by plugging equipment in until I find something I like....again.

I do not and never have owned Vandersteens and yet, I have listened to the Quattros and the Quattro Woods and "considering they are still working on improvements", they have done a fabulous job. Seas millenium and other tweeters are fine specimens of the art and many top notch designers utilize them although most of those designers have them modified to their specifications. (Same goes for the Scanspeak revelator) Why do they do that? Don't they realize Bartokfan uses them stock in a kit he bought off the internet?

All jokes aside, each of us appreciates something different in our speakers and I am glad you enjoy your Seas setup. I enjoy my Acoustic Zen Adagio setup and I enjoyed my Zu Tone setup that I recently sold to free up funds for a Druid purchase. I liked my B&W 802 d's, I was just unwilling to completely adapt my tube bias to their solid state needs for power.

Everyone out here likes what they like and NOBODY IS WRONG! You however seem to answer each question posed on these forums with the patt answer of "well, a Jadis amp with KT90's will solve your problem if you will just consider a Cayin front end and maybe....oh...objectively a Seas MTM will do the trick". I am glad you like your setup and I hope everyone takes the advice they receive here with a grain of salt. And, to answer your question, why would you want Druids? You don't, the recommendation was for Beemerrider as a suggestion to his question on his budget. If he had said he had a $20,000 budget, I probably would have suggested Marten Design Coltranes or some other speaker out there that I have actually heard and was impressed with.

One last plea Bartokfan ( I believe I can speak for a few fellow Audiogoners on this 1 point), please stop hawking your speakers and Tyler's in the same sentence and context, I believe it turns some people off on Ty's products. I like Tyler and want him to do well and you do not have Tyler speakers and you may believe you are helping him, but I believe otherwise. Enjoy the hobby and warm regards.
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Damn Sean!!! It's about time you come back. I really miss reading your expert insights.
Your speakers have a sensitivity of 92db at one meter. If you were sitting 12 feet away that would translate into 83db at the sitting position with approzimately 2 watts since this is a 4ohm speaker. At 32 watts of power the sould level at your seat would be 95db. Your amp probably delivers more into 4ohms and I would guess clips gently in the mid 70 watt range into four ohms. Giving you at least 98db of volume at your seat. 98db is very loud. You couldn't stand it at that level very long. Most people actually listen in the mid 80's range.
Your amp is fine. Don't worry about that. Since you love your Linbrooks I would suggest you buy the Linbrook bass modules from Tyler. You could get them to match your monitors and the pair sell for $2,400. That would relieve the strain on your monitors and give you much higher sound levels in the bass range. They would look great, everything would match asthetically and you would get the sound pressure level you wanted.
Look into Tyler Acoustic PD80s with the built in sub amps. Your 50 wpc amp will only drive mid/highs. These horns are NOT harsh or squawky.