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More effecient speakers?

Hello,

my current rig is

-Acoustic Zen Adagios
-Hegel H160 integrated
-Jolida JD9 Mk2 phono
-Oppo 105
-VPI HW-19 Mk 4 with a Benz Ace 

im pretty happy with it, but I wonder if having more effecient speakers would enhance the sound? The AZ's are rated 89db. Do I need more effecient speakers? My budget is $3k new or used.  I'm more of a clinical, technical listener who nonetheless loves sound on the warmer side. 

Thank you for guidance and patience. 
128x128simao
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,118 posts
 
Digital streaming and DACs might be an area worth exploring.
larryi
3,940 posts
 

To me, one of the big reasons to explore high efficiency speakers is to be able to use low-powered amps; most of the best sounding amps are low powered (under 20 watts of power).  I don't think one gains anything by getting high efficiency speakers to work with high-powered amps.  Exploring such a complete change to one's system would probably require a lot more than $3,000.

I like Mapman's suggestion about looking into a new DAC and streaming or a server.  That would not only improve sound, it would open up music that is available to you considerably.

simao's avatar
simao OP
1,817 posts
 
I stream Tidal at its highest res through the Oppo.  Good enough DAC on the 105?
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,118 posts
 
The only advantage of high efficiency speakers is to be able to go louder with how ever many watts. In a typical home, higher efficiency might benefit in more cases than many might expect, similar to using a more powerful amp.

FWIW I’ve never heard a lower power amp of the same design/line sound better than the higher powered ones. Whether one design is better than another is a different story and there are many wonderful sounding amps out there with a wide range of power ratings. NEWer amp technology like Class D offers great sounding higher power amps not practical for many prior which is a BIG game changer.
larryi
3,940 posts
 

Mapman,

Most of the high efficiency speakers I really like tend to NOT have as their forte the ability to play really loud.  Rather, they tend to sound great when playing at lower volume.  This includes some truly gigantic systems.

While not the same design, but the same designer, I much prefer the low-powered First Watt amps (I've had the J2 in my system for two weeks, I heard a friends S.I.T. amp) over any of the Pass Lab amps I've heard. 

My very favorite amps are a pushpull tube amp running 252 meshplate tubes and a custom-built 35 watt OTL amp.  The amps I own include a 6.5 watt Audio Note Kageki (parallel SET 2a3) and a custom-built pushpull 5.5 watt amp (249 output tubes).  I like both amps more than any of the high-powered solid state amps I've heard (I like high-powered tube amps even less than most solid state amps). 

But, I do think you have a good point about some new designs.  When price is a consideration, some of the reasonably priced Class D amps are decent sounding (I like Bel Canto).  These days, almost none of the better solid state designs are unpleasant sounding, they just seem a little dull and not as engaging as low-powered tube amps when playing at reasonable volume levels (higher volume is needed to make the music come alive with most solid state).

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