Best monitor under 5k?

I've lived in an apartment for 6 years or so and have had my Coincident Super Eclipse Series II for about 5 years. I use a SET amp with a BAT VK-50SE preamp. The Super's are not small, but they are narrow and don't dominate the room. They provide more bass than stand-mounted speakers and look nicer.

I know all about apartment living - like when you are unlucky enough to get neighbours with a nasty boom box + sub system and all you can hear is the thumping bass. They didn't stay long.

My apartment is old so the walls are pretty solid and the current neighbours are quiet.

What you need, though, is a system that sounds good at low levels. It's my opinion that an efficient speaker does this better. If you are going to get an efficient speaker you may as well get one that presents a benign impedance load - and now you have the right transducer for single ended triodes.

I compensate for the lack of punch and volume I can have with beautiful tone, easy listening at all levels, and that extra magic that SET adds.

A lot of stand-mounted monitors are inefficient and need some volume to get going, and that's not what you can do in an apartment.

Just one person's opinion.

Regards,

Metralla is onto something here. If you are forced to go with a smaller speaker that will sound good at lower volume levels (be a good tenant!), you might as well go with a speaker that is efficient and has a benign impedance load. This will allow you to use almost any amp, including low powered SET amps. Some of the lower powered tube and SS amps are very affordable and sound fantastic within their power limits.

I'm currently using the Reference 3A MM DeCapo monitors. They are a very easy load, sound very good at lower volume (as well as higher volume) and can be used with almost any amp over about 1.5 watts/channel (for most listening taste). I currently power mine with either a 3.5 watt/ch 2A3 SET tube amp or a 40 watt/ch. SS chip amp. Both sound fantastic.

Enjoy,

TIC

Tyler.....

Harmonic Precision Caravelle is a (Must) listen to monitors,before you spend your money

Acapella Fidelio ($5k+) - a little over your budget but they are the best monitors i have ever heard in terms of speed, clarity, and realism when paired with Einstein gear.

Harbeth Super HL5 ($3k+) - easy to listen to, sucks you in, very good value

ProAc

Westlake