Help with a system for a guy into electronic music

Imo the bass extension of the Dynaudio Focus 160 is totally unnecessary if you're using a pair of ubersubs, and you're trading off valuable efficiency to get that unnecessary bass extension. The Focus 160 is rated at 86 dB "sensitivity", and that word usually implies "2.83 volts" rather than "1 watt". You see, 2.83 volts into 4 ohms (the Focus 160's rated impedance) = 2 watts, so the Focus 160 is probably only 83 dB/1 watt efficient.

In general, high efficiency = better dynamic contrast, and imo effortless dynamic constrast plays an important role in electronica (other types of music too, of course). Musicians use dynamic constrast to convey feeling, emotion. I suggest you look into main speakers that are up around 90 dB or more efficient (and remember to convert 4-ohm speakers back to watts if they're specifying 2.83 volt sensitivity), and don't worry if they don't go down very deep. Your pair of subs will have that covered.

Now here's an argument for using specialty tube amps: One of the things that robs music of its dynamic contrast is thermal compression, caused by voice coil heating. As the voice coil heats up, its resistance rises. Solid state amps put out reduced power into a higher impedance load, but many tube amps (and in particular SET and OTL amps) put out essentially the same power whether the voice coil is hot or cool. So, such tube amps do a better job of preserving the dynamic contrast when the speakers are being pushed hard.

Both of my sons compose electonica, and here's a link to one of their collaborations (honoring Amelia Earhart, check out tracks 1, 2, and 13):

http://klez.bandcamp.com/album/velocity

And here's one of them solo:

http://klez.bandcamp.com/track/broxholm-1

Duke
dealer/manufacturer

Check Event Opal often sold at pro audio major retailers.
Very solid high def performers and extremely neutral and natural sounding.

I think Duke makes an excellent point about the value of high efficiency speakers for creating dynamic contrast. It is a point I overlooked in my previous posts.

IME, high efficiency speakers often have the same kind of headroom that I associate with active speakers. So it is a good suggestion, IMO.

Bryon

So Bryon & Duke, what speakers would you recommend I check out that are 90dB efficient or more? I'm going to say no to Active speakers just because no one seems to have any to demo.

"...what speakers would you recommend I check out that are 90dB efficient or more? I'm going to say no to Active speakers just because no one seems to have any to demo."

I take it that your quest doesn't include speakers that you can't demo, and that is certainly reasonable.

Must confess I'm not up on all that's out there in the $3k ballpark in high efficiency land, with a decent possibililty of being available for local audition (assuming you're not too far from a major metropolitan area). Coincident, Zu, and Klipsch come to mind... dangit, I'm sure there are others. You might have to call up the dealerships within driving distance, tell 'em what you're looking for, and see what they have to say. Most of the high efficiency manufacturers I'm aware of sell direct.

A note about "fullrange driver" speakers, which tend to be high efficiency but with relatively low power handling. In my experience, their clarity is degraded on loud, complex, bass-heavy music. I say this as a manufacturer whose first commercial loudspeaker was based on fullrange drivers (augmented with a built-in powered sub and a supertweeer), and can pass along my thoughts as to why this is so if you'd like.

Imo it might make sense to consider a redistribution of your expenditures between mains and sub so that you don't have one becoming the limiting factor long before the other. At their rated 200 watt input, the Dynaudios can do a calculated 106 dB (real world it will be a bit less due to thermal compression). The JL Audio F113 is rated at 120 dB at 50 Hz, so theoretically you're paying for an extra 14 dB beyond the point where the Dynaudios reach their thermal limits... and in practice the discrepancy is probably more than that, because the subs will be getting a lot more boundary reinforcement than the mains. Not that you're necessarily going to be playing at 112 dB or so, but the ability to cleanly hit high SPLs means that your system will sound a lot more lively and dynamic at lower levels.

Duke