Low power amp needing speakers

Seeker · « **on:** 25 Jan 2006, 03:34 pm »

Hey Louis,

I've seen pictures of a new speaker, XRS ???, and have read about other potential speakers to be added to your line, like maybe a version of the XRS with a different driver.

When my divorce is over I will have a 'little' bit of disposal income and I'm in the market for some new speakers. I have a pair Welborne Labs Moondog mono amps and intend to use these when I find another set of speakers that can be driven by my amps. I need a recomendation for a speaker to drive with amps of about 2.5 watts.

How about an Audio Note style speaker with one driver?

JLM · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Jan 2006, 05:05 pm »

The A8 should be up your alley in terms of size, shape, single large driver, price, and efficiency.

Louis O · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Feb 2006, 01:45 am »

Hi Seeker and JLM,

The good news is new speakers are available and I’m getting a photographer to take the pics. The newest speakers are the XRS and the Superhemp. The XRS is a floorstanding Super 3 and in this configuration the bass is very strong and it has a great balance too. The cabinet is mass loaded with the composite structure of the Hemps and A8s. The tilt back is adjustable and there is no need for room reinforcement such as corner placement and close to wall settings, which ruin many things such as soundstaging, imaging and slow bass. For me this is very important and I like the speakers to be very fast. My XRSs are 3 feet away and this sounds great.

The Superhemp is similar in looks and size as the Snell/Audio Note AN/J. The actual internal volume is closer to the E. This is the best in the line and uses the 8” hemp driver. It’s very fast, has the hemp tone and very dynamic. It’s great for all kinds of music. At 96dB it plenty efficient for the Welborne amps, which are excellent.

Thanks again,
Louis

Seeker · « **Reply #3 on:** 5 Feb 2006, 10:56 pm »

Hey Louis, I really like the Audio Note style and the look of the xrs's is very nice - reminds me of a pair of Rogers studio monitors I had a long tme ago. This is way better looking than the speakers on the web site. You have a real winner here. When appropriate, please list the price of these new wonders.

Louis O · « **Reply #4 on:** 11 Feb 2006, 01:18 am »

Hi Seeker,

Many thanks and I will be getting a pro down here to take the pics. I’m horrible with the camera. Once that’s done I will redo everything.

The Superhemp is amazing and the cabinet style makes a huge difference. Same with the XRS. This speaker makes huge bass for its size. Looks like a least 2 reviews coming up for the XRSs. These actually remind me of the Royd Minstrels.

Thanks again,
Louis

bbaker6212 · « **Reply #5 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 05:06 am »

Quote from: Louis O

Hi Seeker and JLM,

The good news is new speakers are available and I’m getting a photographer to take the pics. The newest speakers are the XRS and the Superhemp. The XRS is a floorstanding Super 3 and in this configuration the bass is very strong and it has a great balance too. The cabinet is mass loaded with the composite structure of the Hemps and A8s. The tilt back is adjustable and there is no need for room reinforcement such as corner placement and close to wall settings, which ruin many things suc ...

Louis, how is it that the Superhemp is rated at 96db but the HempAcoustics FR8 driver is rated at 94db? Was HA being conservative? Did you actually test to 96db?

Dmason · « **Reply #6 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 02:34 pm »

2 wpc Parafeed or 45SET along with a strong input signal drives the daylights out of the Hemp, 94/96db? Who cares. Dynamic, wonderful contrast, beautiful warm tone of the hemp cone material, as serious a contender for SET as they come, let there be no doubt. Dig deeper than any 8 inch single I have heard in BR.

Mine are just beginning to REALLY break in, and the effect is stunning. Very impressive. More to come...

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #7 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 10:14 pm »

Quote from: bbaker6212

Louis, how is it that the Superhemp is rated at 96db but the HempAcoustics FR8 driver is rated at 94db? Was HA being conservative? Did you actually test to 96db?

Hi bbaker6212,

The HempAcoustics FR8 driver is not the driver that Louis uses. His driver is an OEM design by HempAcoustics and many of the speaker parameters were custom selected by Louis.

Perhaps Louis will chime in on the details of what makes them different...

Regards,

CJ Paul · « **Reply #8 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 10:29 pm »

I was going to chime in with what Vinnie said but I wasn't sure of the exact arrangement. The other relevant factor is that the efficiency of a speaker in a box can vary significantly from the efficiency of the raw driver IIRC.

Dmason · « **Reply #9 on:** 15 Feb 2006, 10:34 pm »

I would not be at all surprised if these were clocked at 96db 500-2500Hz. ...They are very alive dynamically with flea amps.

The critical midband is to die for, as good as I care about it getting, in single drivers. All should hear what making a cone out of hemp does to the overall tone, particularly in the midband. A revelation. I love these speakers. Powered with the Emission Labs 45 variant/Magnequest OPT, this is about as good as it gets folks.

Forget "they are here," this is like being inside the music. Louis, you reading this?

LSO/Andre Previn; Gershwin Symphony #1/American in Paris

Louis O · « **Reply #10 on:** 16 Feb 2006, 03:00 am »

Hi bbaker6212,

Many thanks for bringing this up, as it’s very important.
Vinnie was right about the drivers and mine is totally OEM and made for me. I had a lot of input in the design and the parameters used in making them. They differ in cone weight, magnet material, spiders and motor. I measure in my room and between 95 and 96 is what I come up with. They play as loud as the Grande 8s.

Hi CJ,

This makes a huge difference. Everything is measured in the box and rooms do vary.

Hi Dan,

You really hit this one with being inside the music. The hemp and the configuration make them sound as transparent as I have ever heard. Lowest powered amp I’ve tried is 3 watts and it great.

Great to hear you have the Emission Labs 45s. About the best out there.

Thanks again,
Louis

PS: Just for fun at the Montreal show I will have a 28” hemp sub driver. Not getting into subs, but it would be fun to check out.

Seeker · « **Reply #11 on:** 17 Feb 2006, 03:10 pm »

does anyone have any comments on whether or not the 8 inch driver tends to beam a bit?