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Impossible? Small towers, efficient, musical, loud

I've been reading on threads here for different speakers that sound good with rock, which is my primary pleasure. But I am also a lover of high fidelity and do not want to compromise on sound quality, so this isn't necessarily about speakers that just sound good with rock. My situation may be a paradox or impossible, but I'm hoping I can be enlightened favorably. I'm looking for smallish floorstanders that are tube friendly, placement friendly, and can still sound nice and full at reasonable to loud levels.

Room is an open design roughly 23' wide, 12' deep and vaulted ceilings 8-12' high. Listening area is 15' wide as opposed to the 23'. Speakers must go along the wide wall at 10' apart, one speaker is in a corner. Listening position is 10' from the speakers. I can pull the speakers out at most 2' away from the walls, depending on how large the cabinets are.

Associated gear:
Cary Rocket 88R (30w triode/60w ultralinear)
Promitheus passive TVC Ref 4
Eastern Electric minimax cd

The amp and the TVC are new, haven't yet received them yet in fact but will be replacing my current gear.

Current speakers are Usher 6381, large speakers that I believe are too big for my room. With the tiny amount I can pull them away from the walls, staging is pretty flat, though surprisingly I haven't had any issues with bass boom. Hoping to put them up for sale/trade soon and wanted some feedback on what I should be looking at.

I was considering something like the smaller Silverlines (though they may not be good enough) or perhaps some Devore's. Above all I value musical speakers that emanate a sense of realism. I don't require subterranean bass, just a natural, full sound that doesn't sound wanting without a sub. Musicality is key.

Thanks in advance
tholt
tholt OP
551 posts
 
Either my last post got lost in space or Audiogon hates me (they didn't like the last swear word I slipped in another post). Appreciate all the room correction suggestions (those never go out of style) but I've tweaked my room about as much as I can within my workable parameters.

Getting back on topic, are there any more suggestions for tube/placement friendly floorstanders? If i can get smaller speakers away from the walls more I think it has a good chance of helping with soundstaging.

What about Totem Hawks or Forest? Devore 8's? Living Voice?
kclone's avatar
kclone
656 posts
 
Check out WLM loudspeakers. They have a new entry level one coming out soon called the Stella and there is a good review on 6 moons on some of their other models. One of the big pluses is they are not as room dependent as most other speakers.
tholt OP
551 posts
 
Kclone those look like promising speakers. Small and efficient. Did some reading and Vince from Red Wine Audio seems to really like them, which tells me that they'll prob sound good with my 30W of power. Thanks for the tip.

I should mention that I have 0 outlets locally to audition, so I will likely be buying used from agon or new online with warranty. My Ushers bluebook for ~$2000, likely putting up the matching center channel as well so trade value would be up to $2500 for all 3, $2k or less for just L/R.
bondmanp
1,792 posts
 
I think you have it right yourself with the Silverline Audio Prelude. I have heard them with very modest (in price and output) electronics, and I was extremely impressed. Soundstage that goes on forever. That said, if you are used to the Ushers, the Preludes may be a step down. Another good demo, based on your post, is the Vienna Acoustics Mozart Grand. Small, smooth and highly musical.
acurus
140 posts
 
I have been looking for the same thing, one word: PROAC.....really any model. Using with 30 watts solid state and they kick a**. Try Studio 140s to knowck your socks off, small footprint, elegant, rock like hell.
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