Favorite Tube Speaker Match

C.A.R. Classic Audio Reproductions or Coincident speakers with Atma-Sphere OTL amps. Very nice. Cheers!

Jond: I am currently listening to a custom built preamp using 6922 tubes with a Deja Vu Audio PP 2A3/ 6SN7'PVK power amp built around a pair of '50's vintage "Chicago" transformers. Driving a rather modest pair of "original" circa 1998 Soliloquy 5.3's speakers with a REL Stentor playing full range from 30 Hz on down. Some of the best transients I have ever heard and completely transparent. Great match!

I guess I just disagree with the original premise.

It is polypropylene, not paper, to my ears, that is dark, smooth, and rich. Most paper drivers I have heard are more light, clear, and fast. I think a lot of us bought into paper drivers being inferior when the polymer drivers began coming to market. But, now I see a growing sentiment that paper is something we should be going back to.

Of course, if the paper driver is heavier than normal, than perhaps this changes things...

JOND,
I've heard VU's horns and amps in his shop and the sound of those big horns is unforgettable. I have Avantegardes at home and they sound small in comparison!

I had some paper drivers driven by tube for some time, it was very "Lush" and good but was a Horn system, this would be in my eye considered a very forgiving system in general... But Paper to me always sounds better than even the most advanced Kevlar or whatever else they can throw at you, more natural, and plays just about every frequency naturally, as soon as you add metal or carbon fiber they seem to react different and unless it is the sound you are looking for sometimes they ring a little off colored... But for low Frequency stuff, metal and carbon's can be pretty good they take a beating without breaking up, but so can some of the best paper drivers. So hearing it is key.

And I also agree go back to the basics and just make it better, "paper" should be considered a standard if done right, for the acoustical sense they have, get too much composite's and metal whatever and they introduce other issues.