Ohm Speakers, thoughts?

Tvad,

Sorry to hear you were disappointed.

You have to go with your own take on what is worth it.

Mapman,

What size room are your 5's in? When you were running them full out, were you monitoring the power output of your amp, or measuring in some other way? I ask because I'm really not sure how to determine where full out really is, or if I could even stand it without ear protection or risk disturbing the neighbors. I find it uncomfortable to listen at much more than 85db for any period of time. Do you measure sound pressure?

Just to add my experience to this conversation.

I have the Walsh 5's series 2 and drive them with a Carver amp. that outputs 600 watts per. ch. into 8 ohms and 1200 into 4 ohms. I have on occasion play them loud enough (in a 16' X 24' X 9' room) that i cannot hear my own voice when taking normally. I heard that the series 3 are easier to drive but don't know if that is a fact or not.

My 200 series 3s are in a den that is 2/3 open to a nook/kitchen to the rear. The dimension on the open side is 15.5' x 35' x 8'. The closed-in 1/3 is 12 feet deep instead of 35. It amazes me how well the Ohms handle this. The only qualitative difference I notice from the closed side of the room to the open side is the bass level.

I measure 90db 10' back from the speakers with the Outlaw 990 reading "-10db". This is quite loud (not rock concert loud) but it is near my comfort limits. I've never heard any distortion the few times I've pushed it louder.

I have no idea how to tell how much of the amplifier's 250wpc at the S3's 6 ohms I am using.