Hi all, as the title really. I have a pair of lowther fidelio's with EX3 drivers and am currently using a 25w valve hybrid amp, problem is I can only just turn the volume control off zero or its far too loud for my current listening room. I am toying with the idea of building a decware SE84 kit.
thanks for the reply, I would prefer to have as little in the path from source to speakers, to keep it as pure as possible so to speak.The pre-built version was my first tube amp, the SE84CS Select...great amp
If you just want more range in the volume, you could always put some inline attenuators in.
anything to help with an issue with the other way round? i have a pair of fostex 127e drivers rated 90db. i just finished building the amp and am working around a few issues but the volume pot needs to be turned about 85% of the way to get any reasonable volume. amp not powerful enough to drive the drivers?
Our journey that ended up with RH84 varient monobloks, started with a pair of Zen amps. The Zen are quite good, if you are ready to tackle something a bit more from scratch you can do better (and for less money -- for the same money probably way better because you'll be able to afford better iron).
dave
dave
You haven't mentioned what you are using to drive the Zen amplifier, perhaps its output is too low to drive the Zen to full output.
The other possibility (as you mentioned above) particularly in a large room and if you like it loud is that the amplifier is not quite powerful enough to do the job.
Paul needs less gain, you need more gain. For this you'll need to add another gain stage somewhere, something like one of the 12B4 line stages, or maybe Gregg-the-Geek's new MooseFET (he just gifted me one for an early Christmas, i'll be starting a thread on it shortly -- i'm sure there is already some info at the GeekZone)
dave
So you want to spend time, money and effort on building a kit amplifier instead of just soldering a couple of resistors into your existing amp?
Oh well...
any suggestions for something beyond the zen? would a preamp + zen be better or should i just perhaps look at a new amp?
Apply Joppa's Rule to the problem. The rule tells us, in an "average" sized listening space, that an amp/speaker combo should be capable of 102 dB. SPL peaks at a 1 M. distance. Applying the rule to your 90 dB. sensitive drivers suggests an amp of at least 30 WPC.
IF you are going to use a DECWARE SE84, you need high efficiency speakers. New speakers or a different amp are the choices available to resolve the situation.
im using the drivers in a nearfield arrangement in my office. they arent even in a room per say but on my desk. even on my desk, with the volume all the way up, i dont think there is enough volume for rocking out.
once i get the amp put together ill start another thread on the topic. my apologies for taking the conversation off topic.
once i get the amp put together ill start another thread on the topic. my apologies for taking the conversation off topic.
One problem with listening through SE84 with Lowthers (or moderatly high efficiency speakers) is you will hear a lot of noise/hum... The zen isn't the most quiet of amps, with its resistor psu.
I have one, but find it pretty distracting to use with Lowthers, even worse front horns... Also have an Eddie Vaughn designed EF86 > EL84 that is a world quieter, as well as smoother, warmer and more detailed.
The little zen was a nice start, but like Dave said, you can do better for the same money.
Or how close to actual, live volume do you want to get?
A full orchestra and chorus in a concert hall will measure 106 dB
A solo grand piano can reach peak levels of 109 dB SPL.
A rock group can reach 120 dB SPL.
Again, this is @ 1M (very near field); you lose another 6dB for every time distance from speakers doubles.
--Maybe that's why FLHs are the only thing I've heard come close to sounding "real" and dynamic; getting sensitivity up around 109dB changes things...
Coincidently, Eddie had a hand in our RH84 monobloks... that is where the EF86 front end came from
dave
The amp in question is used with other speakers also and will end up being used in the lounge with the tv and some CSS bass reflex speakers I built. That leaves me with an EL34 push pull 35w amp, so even more power to deal with, plus I have other speakers, fostex BLH and 8" OB's to be driven.
The power isn't the problem you are having, it is the gain structure of your system...the Zen could be better or worse. What comes before the power amp in your system?
dave
Hi Dave, there is no gain structure. At present I am using the lowthers with a valve hybrid integrated 25w amp and a dvd player as a source. No pre amp.
Should have said so in the first place.
So... a friend has a Decware and the end result is nothing short of mediocre. He sometimes gets 'funny noises' from the transformers and the 'imaging' is poor.
Perhaps you could consider one of the Bottlehead 2A3 kits ( - I think they are called Paramour). I have heard one in a system with low efficiency speakers and the overall result (to my ears) was very sweet indeed. I think it had a 12AT7 direct-coupled to the 2A3. Low power and a good result.
I don't see why I should have said anything of the sort my friend as the thread was about a decware for use with my Lowthers and not about my valve hybrid. Thanks for your input on the decware, I read a review on the paramour that was not exactly great, so I will really need to hear some amps with my speakers which may be difficult.
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