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

Soliciting recommendations for high efficiency monitors that would work well paired with a relatively low-powered (22wpc) SET amp (Line Magnetic LM-218ia) in a small listening room. Budget is modest, around $2,500 and potentially stretching to $3,000 - thinking I'll be looking at pre-owned. Listen mostly to chamber music and jazz, not really worried about reproducing large scale orchestral music or rock.

Thanks for your thoughts!
zm
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook's avatar
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook
981 posts
 

Curious OP....What is your room size that the SHL5 isn't performing to your satisfaction? Was thinking of buying a pair for my 13x15 room. Your info would be helpful before I take the plunge.

zm OP
121 posts
 
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.
bobheinatz
721 posts
 
Check out Coherent speakers made in Canada.  Model 10 would work well in that room.
jazzman463's avatar
jazzman463
48 posts
 

I have a 12 x 13 room and just went through the same thing. I tested and listened for over a year. I tried Zu, Tekton, Klipsch, Usher, Kef.... Finally a used pair of Emerald Physics CS 3's  ( Clayton Shaw design )did the trick. I have a pair of his new generation M's from his new company, ( Spatial Audio Labs ) on order. For clean bass you got to get rid of the box in a room like that. You should be able to find a nice pair used as many Spatial heads are moving to his new designs. Tekton does make what looks like a nice open baffle.

zm OP
121 posts
 
jazzman, thanks for your observations.  I have been very keen on trying the Spatials or another open baffle design in my tiny room, but I have been a bit wary since I've read completely contradictory accounts of how OB speakers perform in tight spaces.  Some say it's OK, others say they need much more room to breathe.  I guess I'll just have to try and let my ears be the judge.

The Tekton OB Sigma 2 is nicely priced, but that looks like a whole lot of speaker for my limited space...


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