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suggest tube amp wattage for my speakers..?

hi all, first post to the forum, had a quick question for those familiar w/ tube amplifiers (i have zero experience currently)... i have a pair of 61-SE loudspeakers from RBHsound, specs and information can be found at the following link..:

http://www.rbhsound.com/61se.shtml

these loudspeakers have a power handling rating of 150w, and i have absolutely no idea what that translates to in terms of tube amplifiers... i don't want to invest in amplifiers that are inappropriate for my speakers, so any clarification on what would be proper in terms of wattage would be greatly appreciated... i should add, i am planning on going w/ a pair of monoblock amplifiers, if that makes a difference..!

thx in advance all, any insight would be greatly appreciated..!
daisho
danner
202 posts
 
That's WELBORNE LABS. If I'm going to quote someone, I should at least spell their name correctly. Cheers.
beavis
272 posts
 
• IMHO, impedance curve is probably most overlooked stat. for speaker use with tube amp. Check what frequency minimum impedance is at. Tube amps not good for impedances which have wild swings.
• 87dB sensitivity isn't very great. Recommend sticking with a larger push-pull amp.
• Don't make mistake of running minimum wattage. Allow yourself headroom. You might be able to get by with minimum if you listen mainly to jazz. However, if you like to rock out occaisionally or listen to classical…
• Often overlooked is crossover slope. Recommend a 1st or 2nd order xover for use with tube amp.
• Check reviews online to see what amps reviewers are using with speakers.
• E-mail manufacturer for recommendations.
jeffreybehr's avatar
jeffreybehr
805 posts
 
How much power do you have now, as in 8-Ohm rating AND 4-Ohm rating? Do you feel you have enough power? Or are you clipping at your loudest levels now?
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gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Beavis, I think your comment regarding the impedance curve of a speaker is truly overlooked.

I'd been told that my ProAc Response 2.5s despite their 86dB sensitivity rating would be SET friendly because of its mild impedance curve. To be honest, I have no idea what the impedance curve of my speaker looks like, but this weekend I found that my new 37wpc Bel Canto SET40 has more than enough beans to drive my ProAcs to very high listening levels. I was quite surprised to find that it had nearly the dynamics and bass weight of my BAT VK200.
daisho OP
7 posts
 
thx for all the responses and links friends, from what i am reading here if i understand correctly i should be looking at driving 20-25w into these loudspeakers, yes?

Beavis, when you said "87dB sensitivity isn't very great. Recommend sticking with a larger push-pull amp.", are you saying that these loudpseakers are not appropriate for use w/ tube amplifiers at all? i should mention this setup is only for my home office, and will not be driven too loudly nor is it meant to serve more than casual personal use... i will be feeding the system w/ balanced audio output from my computers, into a tube preamplifier.

i should also mention, i do not have these loudspeakers yet, they are being built and are on their way in a couple of weeks... thx once again for all the input friends, and have a wonderful day..!
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