I would be interested in what cd players and speakers you guys are using for your sse. I can see that the choices here could be critical to the results obtained with sse. Are dedicated hi fi cd players better than the dvd/cd players? What speaker sensisitivity do you consider optimal for 5 watts?
Roy
Roy
Maybe. Can I hear the difference? I don't know, but I have a hard time spending big bux on a CD player when I have a Magnavox DVD player with HDMI out that I got at Walmart for $29 that sounds pretty good. It replaced a high end Toshiba DVD player that might have sounded better but I needed the smaller sized unit.
Another option that I have been using more and more is the computer. Rip CD's to the hard drive using Exact Audio Copy, and play them back through a 24 bit 96 KHz or better sound card. I use an EMU 1820M for a home micro studio. It has 8 channels and a phono stage. I rip LP's to the hard drive using Cakewalk Sonar in 24 / 96. I record TV in 1080i too. When 1TB hard drives are $80, why not? This computer has 3 of them, one for computer type stuff, one for music only, and another for TV.
My lab / work room / listening room is small (10 X 11 feet) so I am limited to small speakers. I use Yamaha studio monitors that are 87db efficient. The volume is sufficient for casual listening when driven by a Tubelab SE running 45's that makes 2 WPC. For more volume I have a KT88 Simple SE in triode that will get plenty loud. I am building a few Simple P-P amps, and I think that one of them will push the Simple SE off of the shelf for a while, if for no other reason than to hear something different for a while. I have experimented with some big P-P amps up to 200 WPC, but once the speaker cones are moving as far as they can, more power only makes more distortion.
In the living room I have a pair of Silver Iris OB drivers mounted in a pair of old (1941) Zenith console radios. They have 15 inch woofers and are 96db efficient. You can hear the bass inside the house across the street with the same KT88 Simple SE in UL with CFB.
Take a look at any of Klipsch's vintage offerings (Chorus, Heresy, Cornwall, LaScallas etc). They have a reputation for being very tube-friendly due to their high sensitivity, but you have to like horns. 
They are pricey but can be found in the used market readily. Some are still available new as made-to-order "Classic" designs, if you can afford them. Otherwise, look in Craigslist for spouse-enforced sales.
For something with a bit more WAF, the KLF series is sort of a cross-over point of Klipsch into the home theater market. They are a little tougher to find and they often will sell for more than some of the vintage stuff....probably because they look more conventional. After the KLFs, sensitivity seems to go down and the designs become more about eye candy. Not a problem for HT, but not the best for tube amps. Someone in another thread recently pointed out the RF-7, which is in production as a "Classic" and looks and specs a lot like a KLF-10.
They are pricey but can be found in the used market readily. Some are still available new as made-to-order "Classic" designs, if you can afford them. Otherwise, look in Craigslist for spouse-enforced sales. For something with a bit more WAF, the KLF series is sort of a cross-over point of Klipsch into the home theater market. They are a little tougher to find and they often will sell for more than some of the vintage stuff....probably because they look more conventional. After the KLFs, sensitivity seems to go down and the designs become more about eye candy. Not a problem for HT, but not the best for tube amps. Someone in another thread recently pointed out the RF-7, which is in production as a "Classic" and looks and specs a lot like a KLF-10.
For the music source, I use a SqueezeBox (I have several different vintages in various places in the house). The SB1, SB2, and SB3 use high-quality DACs...better than any of my CD players. My entire music collection is ripped lossless (FLAC) so they decode just as well as the source CD and I can be lazy and play any album from my couch.
The only mod I had to do to the SB3 in the recroom (where the KLFs live) was to build a linear power supply for it. The little SMPS wall wart introduced an annoying HF whine that the horns reproduced quite readily.
The only mod I had to do to the SB3 in the recroom (where the KLFs live) was to build a linear power supply for it. The little SMPS wall wart introduced an annoying HF whine that the horns reproduced quite readily.
Great topic!
While I'm in the process of redoing much of my system (starting with the SSE) my current digital source and speaks are pretty tube friendly I guess.
For cd's I have a Njoe Tjoeb 4000 that sounds better to me than did my old NAD player and the Sony unit before that. Plus it has a tubed output section.
My current speakers are DIY OB's using Silver Iris coaxials and augie woofers. I'm contemplating building new speakers but may try a tweeter and crossover upgrade on the Iris' first.
Rick
While I'm in the process of redoing much of my system (starting with the SSE
) my current digital source and speaks are pretty tube friendly I guess.For cd's I have a Njoe Tjoeb 4000 that sounds better to me than did my old NAD player and the Sony unit before that. Plus it has a tubed output section.
My current speakers are DIY OB's using Silver Iris coaxials and augie woofers. I'm contemplating building new speakers but may try a tweeter and crossover upgrade on the Iris' first.
Rick
I use my Tubelab SE with a pair of Austin a166 Ron Clarke Horns speakers I built. They're single driver back loaded horns with no crossovers, and they work really well with the Tubelab. They're very efficient, so even with 45 tubes I can easily drive them to ear shattering volumes. They produce more than enough bass, but they do fall a little flat in the high ends. I might experiment with adding a super tweeter.
For a front end I use a Rega P3-24 turntable, no CD player. I've noticed most SET people use digital sources like a CD player, though, so I guess I'm in the minority. Eventually I'm going to get a Squeezebox, ideally one that can handle 192khz 24 bit FLAC, and either buy or build a DAC.
For a front end I use a Rega P3-24 turntable, no CD player. I've noticed most SET people use digital sources like a CD player, though, so I guess I'm in the minority. Eventually I'm going to get a Squeezebox, ideally one that can handle 192khz 24 bit FLAC, and either buy or build a DAC.
It depends on you needs. How do you control a Mac Mini? It has no interface. The SB gives you what need right at your system: a remote control and a large, easy-to-read interface. The SB does need a computer at the backend, but it can be anywhere on your network. No need to have a computer sitting right next to your audio gear.
I did the audio server thing and I found the SB to be a much better solution, especially if you want access to the same library from more than one place in your home. I have 5 of them.
I did the audio server thing and I found the SB to be a much better solution, especially if you want access to the same library from more than one place in your home. I have 5 of them.
In 45 years of owing hi-fi equipment, I've heard many high-efficiency (horn) speakers but never owned any. I'm thinking of building a Fostex-based pair sometime in the near (?) future.
As far as the SSE is concerned, I'm playing it through ProAc Tablette clones I made years ago. They like at least 10 watts, but the SSE setup with KT88 does a pretty good job. Excellent bass and the shimmer of Elvin Jones' cymbals come shining through. My high-power friends are usually astonished at the sound coming from this rig.
Just for fun, I connected the little SSE to my main system speakers, Vandersteen 2Ce Signatures. These guys are used to having 70wpc or more. They did play, but not with much vigor...go figure, eh?
As for sources, I've used a Raysonic CD168, MP3, FM, XM satellite, and turntable (through a phono preamp)...everything sounds very good.
As a matter of fact, I've been wondering lately if you spent 5 times or more on an amplifier, would you get any better sound than the mighty Tubelab SSE gives you?
As far as the SSE is concerned, I'm playing it through ProAc Tablette clones I made years ago. They like at least 10 watts, but the SSE setup with KT88 does a pretty good job. Excellent bass and the shimmer of Elvin Jones' cymbals come shining through. My high-power friends are usually astonished at the sound coming from this rig.
Just for fun, I connected the little SSE to my main system speakers, Vandersteen 2Ce Signatures. These guys are used to having 70wpc or more. They did play, but not with much vigor...go figure, eh?
As for sources, I've used a Raysonic CD168, MP3, FM, XM satellite, and turntable (through a phono preamp)...everything sounds very good.
As a matter of fact, I've been wondering lately if you spent 5 times or more on an amplifier, would you get any better sound than the mighty Tubelab SSE gives you?
I agree, in your situation, and with 5 locations, SB is a very good choice. I only have one, at the moment, and I control the mini though my iPhone, which I like better than the SB interface. But You really can't go wrong. I used to run the SB digital out through my DAC and I can't say either SB or MAC sound better, although I was able to do a little digital room correction on the MAC.
One thing I did find with the SB was that a new power supply made a huge difference. I was stunned, but my non-audiophile wife even noticed immediately and without prompting or suggestion. "Did you change something? It sounds much better..."
One thing I did find with the SB was that a new power supply made a huge difference. I was stunned, but my non-audiophile wife even noticed immediately and without prompting or suggestion. "Did you change something? It sounds much better..."
CD player? That's only for cooking`and cleaning muzak. (I do have a pretty good one, tho', Marantz 8001.)
Real SET lovers have turntables and 97dB sensitive home made horns. These are Wayne Parham designed 4 Pis; the table is the very recognizable HW-19 MK IV which I've modded just a tad, mainly the walnut armbord and tightening down the springs hard against the chassis.
The separate armboards allow me to swap arms w/o having to re-do all the parameters although right now I only have the AT-1005 (world-beater) and The Cherry Arm(pretty good).
Hard for me to stop wrting about my system........
Real SET lovers have turntables and 97dB sensitive home made horns
. These are Wayne Parham designed 4 Pis; the table is the very recognizable HW-19 MK IV which I've modded just a tad, mainly the walnut armbord and tightening down the springs hard against the chassis.The separate armboards allow me to swap arms w/o having to re-do all the parameters although right now I only have the AT-1005 (world-beater) and The Cherry Arm(pretty good).
Hard for me to stop wrting about my system........
Attachments
The HW-19 Mk IV is a really classy looking table. I almost bought a HW-19 Jr instead of a Rega P3, but the plinth isn't quite as handsome looking as the Mk IV.
I think my next big purchase is going to be a squeezebox touch. I'm not too keen about the touch screen, but I thin it's the only squeezebox that can push 192khz 24 bit out the spdif port, although I can't confirm that it's capable of that feature. I think the older squeezeboxes are limited to 96 or 48.
I think my next big purchase is going to be a squeezebox touch. I'm not too keen about the touch screen, but I thin it's the only squeezebox that can push 192khz 24 bit out the spdif port, although I can't confirm that it's capable of that feature. I think the older squeezeboxes are limited to 96 or 48.
I have a set of Silver Iris drivers mounted in a matching set of 1941 vintage Zenith console radios. They are using the original crossover that came with the first batch of Silver Iris. Not only do the old radios have a high WAF it was actually her idea. Now we can't even come close on musical tastes so I can only crank them up when she is not home. She listens to the country music channel through the TV speakers and thinks the sound is fine. I must say that the Simple SE in UL mode with KT88's through these speakers produces some bass that can be heard inside the house across the street. The Silver Iris isn't quite loud enough for me when fed by my 45 based Tubelab SE, but shakes the house with the KT88 powered SSE. The clarity and impact are good, but not as good as the little Yamahas that I have been using in my work room. Let me know how the upgrades go if you ever do them. Darrell from Hawthorne Audio emailed me after he saw pictures of my speakers and said that the new crossovers would sound much better. He even sent me the schematic to build my own, but I never got around to it.
I have contemplated building some type of full range speakers in evening wood shop class, but I really don't have room for anything much bigger than the Yamahas.
George, yeah I've seen a picture of your Iris' in the matching vintage radio's and must say they are quite cool looking. That was an awesome idea.
I'm also glad to hear you report that a KT88/SSE works well with the Hawthorn drivers as that's what I'll be listening to once my amp is built.
Rick
CD player? That's only for cooking`and cleaning muzak. (I do have a pretty good one, tho', Marantz 8001.)
Real SET lovers have turntables and 97dB sensitive home made horns
The separate armboards allow me to swap arms w/o having to re-do all the parameters although right now I only have the AT-1005 (world-beater) and The Cherry Arm(pretty good).
Hard for me to stop wrting about my system........
Bill you're killing me with the turntable / Pi horn combo.
I've been wanting to redo my vinyl capability pretty bad here of late. I also got plans from Wayne over the winter for his 7-Pi corner horns. They will probably be my next speaker project.
Rick
I have Omega 4.5" XRS speakers:
Omega Speaker Systems
Value for $$$ is very good, and I built the Simple SE especially for my Omegas.
CD players are a waste of $, you'll get better value going with PC audio playback and a decent DAC. It seems like there are a lot of good USB DACs coming out, and I look forward to them becoming less expensive.
Omega Speaker Systems
Value for $$$ is very good, and I built the Simple SE especially for my Omegas.
CD players are a waste of $, you'll get better value going with PC audio playback and a decent DAC. It seems like there are a lot of good USB DACs coming out, and I look forward to them becoming less expensive.
- Status
- This old topic is closed. If you want to reopen this topic, contact a moderator using the "Report Post" button.