Tube Friendly Speakers - Down to 30Hz - $3000?

You may want to try and listen to some Reimer speakers. I have the Tetons and are using the 18 watt Lamm ML2's to great effect. Bass is deep and tight. These are rated for amps 8 watts and up. You will probably have trouble finding a used pair of Tetons below $3,000. The Wind Rivers though may be just the ticket and will get you into the mid 20's no problem.

Keep in mind a low watt amp was never designed nor intended for deep bass. You buy a low watt tube for its liquid mids, jazz and stuff. But its an amp absoluetly useless for complex classical.

Tvad,

Regarding the published specs for sensitivity and impedance. Take these with a grain of salt. At least one manufacturer on your list, Coincident, has, on more than one ocassion, printed sensitivitiy numbers that are MUCH higher than reviewers' test results. No doubt that the Coincident speakers are high sensitivity models, it's just that comparisons of printed specs can be misleading because there is evidently a lot of latitude in determining these #s.

Printed specs are a good place to start narrowing the field, but I'd try to talk to a dealer who handles both one of your possible amps and possible speakers to get some feedback on the combo. I'm specifically thinking Adagio/PrimaLuna at Upscale (because I was so impressed with the speaker when I heard it - at Katli), but it's probably just good general practice for this task. Best of luck in the hunt.

Marty

Reimer Tetons etc.., I almost went this route myself.. Seen the bigger models for around 2800 to 3800 tops used. However 15 watts will play them but controlling big woofers down to 30 hz is tuff anyway even at 95 db... You need current and a little headroom regardless of the efficiency rating, so I don't know that 15 watts would do it or not ,I would say 40 or 50 might be better for getting down super low, but then again you mentioned powered subs in the tower could be an option and then you would have something like a 100-300 watt plate amp taking care of that problem. Check link for an Idea, but they go cheap used normally.

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1161100439

Sensitivity @ 89db+ is fine. Flat impedance without dips below 4 ohms is more important than nominal impedance specs, IMO.

The Tyler PD line fits the bill specs-wise, but they are too large for our living room, and their styling will not fly with my wife or me.