new speakers/used/demo- 4K- 6K

One other possibility occurs to me - with those powerful amps, you could drive a pair of Sound Lab Millennium-3 full-range electrostats. This is Sound Lab's smallest full-range model. The only issue would be the size of the speakers, but Sound Labs are legendary for their world-class inner harmonic detail and natural timbre.

Since the Sound Labs approximate a line source rather than a point source, they have a certain characteristic that makes them especially well suited for large rooms: The sound pressure level falls off more gradually with distance than it does for a conventional speaker. This sets up a sound-field that just "feels" more like what one experiences at a concert. In my room, for example, a point-source loudspeaker's output falls off by 11 dB as you move back from 1 meter to 8 meters, but the output of the Sound Labs only falls off by 4 dB over the same distance.

Now, if you're looking for very high volume levels, the Sound Labs aren't for you - they're definitely a finesse speaker, a quality-over-quantity speaker. But they do some things probably better than anything else out there, and some of those things just happen to be among your priorities.

These smaller Sound Labs are easier to ship than their big brothers, and in a week or two I'd be able to offer you an in-home audition on a pair.

Make certain you audition the Piega before buying any other speakers. I'll agree some of the planars are wonderful in some applications but I challange any to compare with the ribbon technology offered in the Piega. This is truly an all around speaker not limited to certain types of amps, rooms ,or music. 19 hz bass and extension to 47.5 k. Listen and compare. I believe if Duke Laguine from Audiokinesis,one of our old customers, heard the Piega set up in his system he would agree. What say you Duke?

Hello Steve,

Yes I bought some very nice gear from Hifi Farm back in the 90's. I'm now a dealer for two of the lines whose products I bought on your recommendation (Clayton & Gradient), so I hope that tells you a little about the high regard I have for your ears and your advice.

I've sort of developed a philosophy about loudspeakers, based mainly on my experiences as an amateur speaker builder but supported by my "real-world" observations. The models I've chosen to carry all more or less fit in with that philosophy.

I feel honored that you'd think of me in connection with the Piegas, since you obviously believe in them wholeheartedly. Just for the record let me state that another dealer whose ears I have a great deal of respect for, Jonathan Tinn, is also a Piega dealer. For the time being I'm barking up other trees, but I thank you for thinking of me.

Warmest regards,

Duke

CALLING DUKE< PLEASE COME TO THE INFORMATION BOOTH
as i've nosing around, i read w/ great interest the knowledgible and honest explanations of a member on audioassylum explaning planar speakers[maggies and sound labs] to the members on the assylum. this is our own audiokinesis a/k/a DUKE.
i have zero exp w/ planars--would a maggie 3.6 or 20; or a soundlabs M-2/M-3 or A-2/A-3 fit my criteria including rockn' roll, duke ellington & mahler @110dbs in my large room. i know that the string quartets would be spooky.
thanks for any info that you might provide---BOB

Bob -

First of all, thanks for your kind words! Yes you've uncovered my alias - I'm "AudioKinesis" here, and "Duke" at the Asylum. You see, at the Asylum, industry members aren't supposed to use the name of their business in their moniker, which is fine with me.

I'm afraid 110 dB is beyond the capability of most full-range planars, and at the edge of the envelope for the few that might be able to do it. It would require far more powerful amplification than even what you have.

It's a tradeoff: we full-range planar lovers trade off levels over 100 dB for being able to do lesser volume levels with superb clarity. I do have a couple of Sound Lab customers who approach 110 dB peaks with their systems, but they have spent much more than $4K - $6k.

If we throw that 110 dB in a large room requirement into the mix, our choices narrow considerably. I would estimate you'd need conventional (point-source) speakers of 96 dB efficiency to give you a clean 110 dB of music at the listening position. Here's how I figure it: Starting out with 96 dB for 1 watt input, halfway across your room a single speaker would be doing about 87 dB. Add the second speaker, and we're back to 93 dB. Add 200 watts to that, and we're at 116 dB (ignoring dynamic compression, which would be minimal in a speaker of this efficiency). We'd want 6 dB of headroom to be able to handle instantaneous peaks, so that brings our clean music SPL down to 110 dB.

Now, if you're only talking about 110 dB maximum instantaneous peak capability, and maximum average levels of more like 104 dB, then 90 dB efficient speakers would theoretically suffice.

I'm sorry to muddy the waters, but it's all about tradeoffs, and that 110 dB requirement changes the picture significantly. And, do you mean 110 dB maximum peaks, or 110 dB sustained music?