Warm and accurate bookshelves that can handle volume


Hi and thanks for your help. I have been collecting and trying vintage speakers and ended up with B &.W 803 matrix series II, and also Celestion ls700 Se. The latter  are bookshelves and I use them with an NHT SW2 subwoofer. I like them both but prefer the 700s because they more accurately bring out the timbre of orchestral instruments and can be less fatiguing. Troubke is I have a pretty big room and I can’t play full orchestra at realistic volumes on the Celestions without distorting the sound. Are there bookshelves that will be warm, musical and accurate like the Celestions, but can handle volume?  Rest of the system is Qutest DAC, RA LS25 II pre, Adcom GSA555 II speakers. Thanks for feedback on which speakers to try. My reading etc suggests Harbeth Spendor Sonus Faber. Locally have tried kef and paradigm, but can’t get to much else. Will travel to try your recommendations. Seems that satellite and sub will be more flexible and cost effective than tower. 

arhgef

This is a lot of tremendous advice. Will hit the road, and never thought of going to an audio show. The you tubers say it is hard to listen properly at an audi9 show but might as well find out. From a near vacuum to being surrounded by audiophiles. 

Show conditions often not ideal, heard Magico S5 mk2 often sound great, but only ok at last AXPONA.  But you’ll likely hear something that “you” favor subjectively and will give much more examples /information than you currently have.  Helps if you have a list of brand/model speakers you’d like to demo.  If the brand is demoing a different speaker, then you can discuss w the sales rep the technical and sonically similarities and differences between their models - there’s often a “house” sound due to consistent components and/or design voicing.

Plus one for Sonus Faber for “accurate”, “warm” and high volume capable.

ATCs are certainly “accurate” and have a very high performance envelope in terms of loudness, but I doubt anyone would characterize them as “warm”.  I have listened extensively to the latest generation SCM19 and they sound terrific with competent electronics, but the term “warm” never came to mind.

attending an audio show would be a fun experience, and at least you could get a good look at the cabinets in person (if that is important) and get some inkling of the sound signature, if a bit uneven due to compromised and uneven listening environments.

A couple of different directions.  Dynaudio Heritage Special that probably prefers solid state electronics.  Gershman studio II a warmer speaker for those that don't like grating treble.