Valve amp blues...

[Haselsh1]

Unorthodox Behaviour by Brand X and Moroccan Roll by Brand X both prove the quality of bass drum I have is up there with the best I have ever heard and one thing I don't want to do is to lose the rhythm and drive that this amplifier puts into the music but a bit more volume would be very welcome. At the moment my amplifier's volume control is on the ten to position and it is just a shade too quiet. If I push it much further than this I can hear it clipping or at least I think I can hear it clipping. I am very sure that I need some very efficient floorstanders to maximise the headroom and give more bass weight. Either that or I need to go back to transistors.

[Stratmangler]

They're not the most efficient of speakers, and bass out of a smallish box always takes a fair degree of power http://www.dalispeakers.co.uk/files/IKON_1.pdf

[John]

I suggest hear a few different approaches before you decide Its great way of meeting some good people and will ensure you get it right

[Haselsh1]

I understand that the Audio Notes have an eight inch paper cone which I also understand is going to be a lot better at producing bass than a tiny little doped job like the ones in the Dali's so I am kind of clear about where I am heading. I do kind of understand the physics behind it and I remember back to 2004 when I actually owned a pair of AZ-2's with a pair of Avreovox Arcana monoblocks and pre. They were kindly supplied by Haden Boardman via ebay but for some reason I still wasn't totally happy at that time. I now have an amplifier that has plenty of drive and energy but lacks the Watts to produce that slightly louder than normal listening level. I simply don't want my music quiet, I want it at normal level then a tiny bit more. I kind of get the impression that an EL34 PP amplifier would be fine at around 30 Watts but then it wouldn't be an EL84 would it...? I also know that the EL34 midrange is to die for but that their bass is pretty awful. OK so I have months to decide one way or the other. Thanks so far for all of your input.

[YNWaN]

Get speakers that are more efficient then.

[Haselsh1]

I do also understand that to hear a significant change in volume there has to be an increase in sensitivity of 3db or more due to the inverse square law and that going from my Dali's to a pair of AZ-2's would present a change of 6db. Now that is around an increase of four times. There is also the fact that the bigger paper cone is going to improve my bass considerably and the AZ-2's have a wonderfully 'airy' quality to their sound.

If I sound like I have already made up my mind then it is because I am kind of convinced I ought to buy a pair of Audio Note AZ-2's. My doubt...? A one thousand pound pair of speakers on the end of a five hundred quid amp. That makes no sense.

[julesd68]

My doubt...? A one thousand pound pair of speakers on the end of a five hundred quid amp. That makes no sense.

I really think that totally depends on the synergy in the system. My Quad 405-2 has seen off much more expensive amps in my system, and that's hooked up to speakers that cost well over a grand back in the day. If it works, it works and don't worry about what things cost.

[Dingdong]

I have a £300 pound pair of monos and a £350 pre hooked up to £10 speakers. Sounds bloody lovely.
Don't worry about the price. Worry how they go together.

[Macca]

50% of the price of the Audionotes is probably dealer mark up and VAT anyway

[Ali Tait]

Try asking Nick if you could hear his open baffles- he lives in Halifax. Can't beat the bass from 15" drivers. Diy baffles are by far the the best sound per pound IMHO, and you'll be looking at about 94 db/w/m.