Warm and accurate bookshelves that can handle volume

@rsf507 

i have the HARBETH 30.2 XDs driven by a$ 5 figure mutha high end integrate amp ( REGA OSIRIS ) that have everything I ever wanted at any volume and any genre of music . 

the notion that they somehow  “ fall apart” is nonsense and a hard and fast NFW (. Unless maybe they are driven by crap ?)

I have very affordable Elac BS 244 speakers with ribbon tweeters in my second system and they play plenty loud in a large open area (lounge, dining and kitchen). They are also warm, dynamic and detailed.

Can you really get warm and accurate? Accurate surely implies neutral, warm is not neutral. Do you mean you want speakers you like the sound of? I have 2 pairs of Audio Physic speakers, they are very detailed but certainly not cold. To me they sound perfect to friends who have Monitor Audio, Harbeth and Lintons they sound bright, friends who have Klipsch say they sound dull.  That truely makes me think they are just right!

I also love Harbeth but would question them for orchestras at volume. I always feel I start to hear the case resonance limits when I listen to orchestras on them but perhaps a better amp would help as suggested.  

I can’t think of any bookshelves that can do a full orchestra well - would have suggested trying b&ws as most likely to work. 
 

how was the paradigm? 

How big is a 'big room' and how lively or dead is it acoustically? Do you have a target peak SPL in mind? Finally, how far is it from you speakers to your listening position? Volume level is a physical parameter that is easily calculated. If your requirements are greater than the speakers capability, the move on. E.g. KEF LS-50s are rated for 104db peak @ 1M and 100W. 2 speakers +3dB, and applying the inverse square law (2X distance = -6dB in level), so sitting 6 ft from a pair of LS-50S your peak SPL would be 101dBA. In a room, depending on size and acoustical treatment, you might pick up a dB or so. Sitting 12ft, lose another 6db in peak level. A larger bookshelf might pick up 6dB in output, and 4-6 dB in sensitivity. YMMV, so do the math  math first to see if you're even in the ballpark.