SET friendly speakers w/ slam?

How about Zu Audio Presence or Definition II?

I like the VS DB99 idea, too.

Seems to me to get slam, you need some powered subwoofers (either separate or built-in as offered in the speakers mentioned above).

coincident, klipsch

Seems to me to get slam, you need some powered subwoofers (either separate or built-in as offered in the speakers mentioned above).

Hmmm, I wouldn't associate subwoofers with "slam" necessarily. Visceral, absolutely yes! But I'd put "slam" into a region just above where subs do their deep, dark, rumble'yer'roots thing. I'd associate it more with detailed tight, fast bass that's moving lots of air fast. Subs are more about the bass you feel in your bones and in your guts. Maybe its a matter of semantics and my (mis)understanding the terms. Regardless, I'd check out Coincident's offerings as well. Silverline's full-range offerings hover around 92 db so are just at the low end of set-friendly, and they're superb speakers IMO.

Marco

I know I would love to hear the Emerald physics speaker. 100dB efficient. 2 15" bass drivers. They have to have some slam.

I have been through several amps with my Silverline Sonata III including Atma-Sphere M-60, VAC Standard 160 Musicbloc, and presently Belles 150A Reference monoblocks. Thus far, the Belles 150A produce by far the most "slam", and I am dubious that a SET amp cold produce slam on these speakers...but I'm open to hearing it, and anyone in Southern California that believes they have the SET amps to do it has an open invitation to come over and give them a try.

The best "slam" I ever had in my system was with a combo of Von Schweikert VR4 Gen III HSE/Moscode 401HR/Lamm LL2 Deluxe.

The Sonata III, while possessing many qualities superior to the VR4 Gen III HSE have yet to equal the slam of the Von Schweikerts.

I do believe subwoofers add bottom to music that somehow gives the perception of filling in the music and giving it more weight throughout, but I also agree that the subwoofer is not responsible for the frequency range that reproduces things that contribute to slam...like a crisp, deep bass drum whomp.

I recall the Zu Audio Definition having great slam, and they can be driven by low powered tubes because they also have built-in subwoofers. These speakers are what made me associate the helpfulness of a subwoofer with a speaker that can be driven with SET amps.