Using tube amp with electrostatic speakers.

@don_c55 Well, yes, but how low and how high is what matters really. Getting significantly below 4 Ohms for instance.

The theory is solid, and if you see Stereophile's FR plots they do one into a simulated speaker load that's pretty good at showing the difference between tube and SS amps.

However! None of this really helps you determine what you may like. Listening is key.

Having said that, I've heard several electrostatic speakers, and when I had a chance to compare, tubes generally lost. I walked into one store with fairly young salespeople. They had a pair of ML's that had been sitting unsold for a while.  All tubes. I suggested they would sound better with SS. They changed it and the pair sold in a week.

@almarg That makes sense. High feedback --> Low output impedance, especially when that feedback is taken from the transformer outputs. :) Not sure what that amp is doing. Would be worth checking out.

Again, I'm not suggesting anyone get religious about it. Sound quality wise though, I would be perfectly happy with tube pre and SS amp. I would not chase a tube amp just for chasing a tube amp.

Best,


Erik

One last thing, most ESL's are really not very neutral. Almost all can benefit significantly from digital EQ from the midrange on up.

Unlike dynamic speakers which can often be measurably neutral fairly inexpensively.

Again, don't get religious. I'm just saying, you are trading.

Best,


Erik

One last thing, most ESL's are really not very neutral. Almost all can benefit significantly from digital EQ from the midrange on up.

I find that ESLs can be quite neutral! You are correct though that if there is a problem on the amplifier side, it will be from the midrange on up that it most likely manifests.

Ralph, Erik, thank you for the detailed explanation of how electrostatic speakers work with different types of amps.  A nice education.

Hi @atmasphere

To your own ears be true. :)

Best,

Erik