OPTs: Baby Edcors (XSE) VS. Big Edcors (CXSE)

[Horsebox]

I know this has been done before. There is another thread current here at the moment that is drifting onto this topic, so I thought perhaps it justified starting a new one.

About $40 for a pair of XSEs or $190 for a pair of the huge CXSEs at the moment. I'd have to import them into the UK which would end up costing over $300 for the Big Ones.

I have the the XSEs in my SSE at the moment, and the amp sounds great. I run it in triode mode, and I have B&W 685s standmount speakers with 88dB sensitivity and 6.5" inch mid/woofers. I prefer the KT88s at the moment.

I'm looking for a 'lifetime' setup, that I don't have to tinker with again (well, this year anyway!). I'm happy to fork out for the big Edcors but it's the usual situation of not having any clue whether it would make much difference to the sound.

Could I expect the quality of the bass to improve, given that the speakers aren't massive? Will the better bass response of the big Edcors be at the expense of higher frequencies, those perhaps more suited to the speaker size that I have?

Thanks very much!

[budmaestro]

The CXSE's are a good value. If you listen every day I say go for it. I have had both sets of OP's and there is a nice bit of the audio spectrum you are missing with the XSE's. I use a Juke box analogy. 50 cents a listening session for 2 years and they are paid for. They should last 40+ years.....

[whitelabrat]

I've been quite happy with GXSE's, but they do seem to suffer from noticeable distortion. Using feedback cleans that up nicely.

[rmyauck]

How about some of the European brands mentioned on the forms like Lundahl, Sowter, etc. Wouldn't the maybe low shipping costs make them a good bet?