High efficiency monitors for SET amp in small room - budget 2.5k

If you listen to chamber music and jazz in a small room why do you think you need high efficiency speakers?

...you’re essentially correct, when I take measurements while listening I average between 70-80db, with transient peaks around 90db at most.

Because this isn't about loudness measurements. A crying baby will run laps around that range (70 - 90), in that room.

A high efficiency speaker will deliver the music with more ease, with more fleetness of foot, present as less strained, time more naturally, etc., etc.

David_ten, thanks for your comment. What you’re suggesting is exactly what I’m curious about with respect to a higher efficiency speaker. What I’m looking for is something that lets me inside the music even at lower volumes. The Harbeths are very sweet speakers, and I love their tonal balance, but I do find myself driving the volume up beyond what I would like to in order to retrieve inner details in the music.

Riaa, my room is smaller than yours (2nd bedroom in a NYC apartment.)  it’s probably 11 x 9 and I am listening in the nearfield.   

Don't get me wrong, the SHL5+ sounds gorgeous, even in these less than ideal conditions.  I do not blame the speaker, which is very well designed. But what does happen is because the speakers are necessarily placed relatively close to corners, and the room is square-ish, there are some room modes that can cause problems with the bass in some recordings.  And I can’t say I obtain much in the way of soundstage depth in this room.

Again, most of my issues here have to do with the room and not the Harbeths.  They would likely perform better in your bigger room.  They need more air than I can give them to perform their best.

Check out Coherent speakers made in Canada.  Model 10 would work well in that room.