Recommend good satellite speakers?

Even before I got to the previous post, I too was thinking about headphones. I live in an apartment as well and my neighbors are not well insulated from the sound of my system. I find the circa 1990 set of Stax headphones I bought here exceptionally comfortable (both physically and in terms of listening fatigue) for late night listening sessions, television, movies, etc. Extension cords are avaiable. Much better on both counts than the Grado SR-325's I sometimes use in the office--though the source I have those hooked up to is not as good. The Grados do have better bass. --Scott

I second Gtrush1's recommendation. I use the hd600 and grado rs-1 headphone amp. With a good digital or analog source, the sound is reference quality with excellent bass and you can play at head banging spl if you are so inclined. The only caveat is there is no soundstage. The imaging is great, but it's all between the ears - something you can get used to once you get involved in the great music being reproduced.

Radio Shack Pro LX55. Recently on clearance for $45. Excellent image - lack only big time bass. What a deal. :)

If you are concerned with how much sound is going through the walls to your neighbor's apartment, then consider dipoles.

Mathematically, for a given bass SPL at the listening position, a dipole speaker puts out 5 dB less bass into the environment. This is because a dipole has a figure-8 radiation pattern in the bass, rather than the omnidirectional bass radiation pattern of a monopole. For an in-depth explanation see Sigfried Linkwitz's excellent treatment of the subject at http://www.linkwitzlab.com/rooms.htm .

Two other factors to look at in lowering the amount of noise (typically bass) that your neighbor hears:

1. Get speakers that are very articulate, so you won't have to turn them up loud to hear all the details.

2. Lower the noise floor in your room as much as possible, so you won't have to turn the speakers up to hear the details over the ambient noise.

You might consider the Gradient Revolutions, sort of a perennial underground favorite. These speakers are essentially a controlled dispersion, concentric-driver minimonitor down to 200 Hz, with a dipole bass system below that. I don't know if they're in your budget ballpark (retail is 4.5 grand), but you might find a pair used. Check them out at http://www.gradient.fi/En/Products/Revo/Revo1.htm . I'm a brand-new Gradient dealer, so pardon me if my enthusiasm is showing...

I still think a full range electrostat would be ideal for you, from your "help with speaker selection" thread, but I take it we may now be looking at a more restricted budget. You might want to consider used Acoustats - I can put you in touch with someone who can repair or even upgrade Acoustats should you ever need it, and Acoustats would meet your top seven or eight criteria (from the other thread) very well.

B&W leisure monitors. You can always find a place for them somewhere else later, and they are smooth, sweet and handsomely designed. Should run a little over $300.