Spatial M3 Sapphire or Klipsch Forte 4

If you want efficiency, then Klipsch is at the top of the list. You can't go wrong with around 100db Cornwall's with a tube amp. They play low volume full bodied music or blow your roof off rock & roll with ease. Forte's and Heresy are basically mini-me Cornwall's and do the job just as well.

BUT

Spatial Audio Sapphire M3 open baffle is the reason you buy a two channel Macintosh integrated amp at 100wpc (AKA MA5200/MA5300) or the top contender according to you, hook up the speakers, and end your quest for the holy grail of audio sound so you can finally think about other things you want to do in life!.

Do you own the Spatial M 3 sapphires ?

I have owned Cornwall 2 and forte 3 before. Cornwall’s are too big. The forte’s I liked, but thought they could have been more refined. I haven’t heard the Spatials, but could buy either used, and re-sell if they don’t work. If the Spatials can work with 8 watts, I should be OK. I also have a music reference em 200 that pushes 100 watts. 

i owned m3 sapphires for a time, i would say they will not work properly with 8 wpc tube amps... the 4x 15 in passive woofers need pretty decent amp damping factor to control the bass output - i tried my cary 300b se-i on them and i felt the bass lost most of the tone and definition that can be heard when driven by, say, a good solid state amp like a hegel or exposure amp

that said, the treble and upper midrange can be somewhat biting on the sapphires, i can see how many would opt for tubes to improve the musicality in those frequency bands... as always, all speakers make and impose certain tradeoffs, up to the owner to choose the flavor they can live with best