speaker to big?

You mentioned resolution and imaging. Other variables being constant, a small speaker will image better than a larger one for a variety of reasons based in physics. One reason, for example, is that the smaller speaker will have its drivers closer together. This will give better coherence as the sound radiates from a point that more closely resembles a single point. As a result, the monitor is a little more forgiving in placement than a larger speaker on this point alone. It's small size makes it even more easy to place. Your big speaker may image fine too; however, it may be better if it's moved a bit and you may not have the room for it. Another factor is the potential bass overloading of the room as the posters above have mentioned. If bass isn't controlled, then it will mask other frequencies and you will lose the resolution that you like.

So is your speaker too big? It may or may not be. If the bass is controlled, and if the speaker can be placed properly for imaging, then it's not too big. Otherwise it is toon big. But even despite that, you would get better imaging from a good monitor, but you give up lower octave bass as a trade-off. If so, then add a sub.

hte speaker i am currently using is a floorstander about 40 inches tall made by selah audio consisting of a ribbon tweater 5 1/2 inch midrange and 7 inch acutron woofer. speaker is non ported. i love the speakers and at moderate levels it sounds great but at loud levels the sound stage falls apart and things become a bit of a mess. i am on a tile floor withan area rug and this does not seem an ideal situation. the speakers are not under any strain so its not that they cant handle the volume level. which leads me to believe they are either too big and not being given enough space or my room needs to be toned down a bit.

"Loud levels" can be simply overdriving the room. Consider that the initial signals from the speakers are continually bouncing off walls, ceilings, etc, without sufficient opportunity to decay. This will destroy good 'imaging'.

You can help this some by deadening the room BUT then when you play music at normal levels it might sound a bit dead and uninvolving because you may have overdamped your room.

You've got good speakers - I doubt that they are a problem but it might be informative (to you) to have a SPL meter and test record and see exactly what your frequency response is. Knowing that might lead you to a solution, or not.

But, IMHO, if you want 'loud' and imaging you need a much larger room with better dimensions and very selective set up, including acoustic treatment of problem areas.

FWIW.

I have a room that is on the small side (13x15) and found the same thing -- at louder levels the room really got overloaded. But I got a RealTraps kit and the situation improved dramatically. I can play music as loud as I want now without problems. I still have some room issues -- bass seems to be emphasized more as I move my listening seat back within 2 feet of the wall. Not cheap, but the sound treatment was a lot cheaper than building another room.

would love to try maggie mg12's or mmg's.
Do they work at all well with tubes? once again my room is small and am using the prima luna dialogue. speakers would be placed as stated above