Suitable Speakers for 3+3watt tube amp

[xtaljo]

I am thinking of building the Mullard 3+3watt stereo amplifier and would welcome suggestions for suitable speakers either built or in kit form. The set up would be for an average sized lounge and listening to classical music without rocking the foundations!

My reading so far suggests i should look for speakers with above 90dB sensitivity and preferably 95dB. A further restriction is that the speakers should be 'domestically acceptable' which means small floor standing cabinets.

I've spent hours surfing the net on this topic but am left in confusion. Any help greatly appreciated.

[boywonder]

90 to 95 db sensitivity is a fairly wide range.

For reasonable volume levels with sufficient headroom, 90 db and 3W is little marginal. 93db speakers would be twice the volume with the same power compared to 90db, and 96db sensitivity would be 4 times the volume from the same wattage. Conversely, for a given volume level, 96db speakers will require 1/4 of the power that 90db speakers require.

As a general rule of thumb, you'll find that larger drivers are more sensitive than smaller ones....and getting above about 95db sensitivity starts getting tough without horn loading, etc.

[chrisb]

as boywonder remarked, that's a wide range of sensitivity to consider, and the constraint of "domestically acceptable" could well shorten the list of driver and enclosure size / type

the first that comes to mind would be FH3 with Fostex FE126E or Alpair7.3 (don't let the latter's specs dissuade you, it's far more "efficient" at delivering music into the room than the sensitivity number would suggest)

Frugel-Horn Mk3

disclaimer: see signature line below

another candidate might be the FF125WK in a "pensil-esque" MLTL

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by xtaljo

.....either built or in kit form.....

So you are looking for more than just driver choices and enclosure plans, correct?

[raul_77]

Wild Burro Audio, The Betsy or The Betsy-K:

Wild Burro Audio Labs - Fullrange Speakers - The Betsy & Betsy-K Drivers

Wild Burro Audio Labs - Fullrange Speaker Projects - Basic Open Baffle Design

The Frugal-Horns Site -- High Performance, Low Cost DIY Horn Designs

Happy days.

[chrisb]

I think the poster needs to qualify what the dimensional / design constraints of "domestically acceptable" means in his particular case before our "assistance" furthers his confusion

It might be a good idea to review a few of the build galleries with the domestic partner to test those limits - you could be surprised (just be sure to clear the late night browser history first)

[planet10]

Originally Posted by chrisb

I think the poster needs to qualify what the dimensional / design constraints of "domestically acceptable" means in his particular case before our "assistance" furthers his confusion

And the size of an average lounge? I understand that that is smaller in the UK then here in NA.

Toppsy is the flat-pak guy in the UK. He primarily does FH3, Chris' suggestion of these with FE126 is a good one. It is VERY popular with the small SE crowd. It can benefit from usable corners to help extend the bass.

FH3 Picture Gallery

dave

[fastbike1]

Where did you get this? 3dB needs twice the power, but is considered to be the minimum change in output that is "noticable". A 10dB change in SPL is considered to be "twice" as loud.

The Relationship of Voltage, Loudness, Power and Decibels

There are other similar references.

Originally Posted by boywonder

90 to 95 db sensitivity is a fairly wide range.

For reasonable volume levels with sufficient headroom, 90 db and 3W is little marginal. 93db speakers would be twice the volume with the same power compared to 90db, and 96db sensitivity would be 4 times the volume from the same wattage. Conversely, for a given volume level, 96db speakers will require 1/4 of the power that 90db speakers require.

As a general rule of thumb, you'll find that larger drivers are more sensitive than smaller ones....and getting above about 95db sensitivity starts getting tough without horn loading, etc.

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by fastbike1

Where did you get this? 3dB needs twice the power, but is considered to be the minimum change in output that is "noticable". A 10dB change in SPL is considered to be "twice" as loud.

Figures I'd screw that up.....I knew that 10X the power is required to double the volume......

Well, at least the sentence about power is correct......

[chrisb]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Figures I'd screw that up.....I knew that 10X the power is required to double the volume......

Well, at least the sentence about power is correct......

let's get back to the questions of xtaljo's "average sized lounge" and what would constitute "domestically acceptable" enclosure size / design

even if on the room is larger end of the scale, I'd wager Kleinhorns or Experience Music 4 way FL horns might not qualify



OK to be fair, even though reasonably efficient, these need more than 2 channels of amplification