Speaker Help for McIntosh Tube Equipment


After nearly 20 years I treated myself this Christmas and made a major change to my home stereo system. My old system was a Bedini Amp/ Pre Amp, Revox CD, Nakamichi Dragon, and Shahinian Obelisk speakers.
The new system is a McIntosh Tube Amp MC2102, Tube Pre Amp C2200, MCD 205 CD changer, and MR85 Tuner. I wasn't considering changing the Shahinian speakers because they have always been wonderful sounding speakers. However after setting up my new system I am now very disappointed with the speakers...they appear so flat. I am hoping that some of you audiophiles can help me get the best out of my new system.
1. Does anyone know what Ohm setting should the Shahinian speakers be set to on the McIntosh amp?
2. Are the Shahinian Obelisk speakers as good a match to Tubes as SS.
3. If anyone has this McIntosh Tube/Pre Amp combo what speakers do you recommend.
My room is 15 x 20 and a fireplace sits between where the two speakers are positioned. I enjoy all types of music with a preference to Jazz, R&B and Rock. I thank you in advance for any assistance.
kgksecurity
IMO your speakers are the weak link here,while very nice they are not efficient enough.

my mc2102 sounded great on klipsch horns & drove them to extremes, your gonna need some highly efficient speakers to run with your 2102.

i would look for somthing in a vintage speaker, maybee somthing from tannoy, klipsch or jbl.

from your tastes in music i think a very nice pair of klipsch lascalas would do the trick,your tastes are very close to my musical tastes & the 2102 paired great with khorns,lascalas & khorns are very close in performance.

mike.
I'm not familiar with the equipment being discussed so I'm not disputing the Klipsch recommendation. I'm just curious why you guys feel a 100W/ch tube power amp "needs some highly efficient speakers?"
herman, one thing ive found out is each person has different listening levels,when kgksecurity listed his musical tastes he pointed out music that people tend to listen to at louder levels hence needing more power or more efficient speakers.

i owned the mc2102 that is in question & i just bought the c2200 preamp listed above & i can say from my experience that the amp will not provide the listening levels that he is after for the music he listens to.

is a 100wpc tube amp alot of power? maybee for some little moniters or the likes but he wants to replace the sound he had from a set of full size floor standers hence the need for efficient speakers.

i still recomend a nice klipsch lascala, you get 99% of the performance without having a speaker that is so placement specific,i found my khorns to be elephants,sounded great but you better plan on keepin them in corners for life!
mike.
I am running my MC2102 with a C2200 through a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri and the combo is fantastic. Very musical and loud enough for me. I should mention my listening room is is approx 10X15. Hope this helps. Cheers,

Nocaster.
Maby it is allready too late for you,but you did a big mistake when you changed your system in that way.Bedini is much better amplification than McIntosch,especialy when driving Obelisks(Shahinians).I do not know which Bedinis exactly you have had,but the only week link in your old system was(maby) Bedini preamp.
Obelisks with Bedini?it is a dream combo(i have it with Bedini Classic 100 monos).With McIntosh your Obelisks will not sing,of course,but the foulth is not up to Obelisk,its up to you,so the best for you is to sell McIntosh power amp,and stay(or buy one again)with Bedini.And if you sold your Obelisks,buy it again(new model is slightly beter).You allready had one of the best speakers in the world(Diapason is definitly the best),but just if you have a matching amplifier,Bedini or Plinius(in my experience).This is the price if you want a live music performance in your room(big one for Obelisk,please),nothing from this world can beat this combo,beleive me.
I de like to know what did you do in the meantime,and if something brouth you a level of performance which you have allready experienced with Obelisks and Bedini.
check out used meadowlarks. they get along great with tubes. khorns may be a classic approach to an 'old school' name like mac but imo i do not think you must get ultra hi eff. horns. easy driving 89+ db spkrs should do fine. i hope the fireplace is not between the front plane of spkrs in any event as you will get lousy imaging. but u probably knew that ;). nothing against khorns but they offer a distinctive sound and therefore many love them or hate them. kinda like W.