High efficiency speakers

Not sure about your price point but you should add Daedalus to your list. I heard the new Muse at CAF this weekend and it was exceptional. He has a number of other medium sized floor standers that are worth a look, including the Athena. All are very high efficiency designs.

Just for the record, a 'high efficiency design' is likely going to be about 100 db or more. The Daedalus speakers are 4 ohms with a 96 db sensitivity, when you do the math that means their efficiency is 93 db, which is not high efficiency, rather it is a moderate efficiency. Despite their impedance, they are lacking severe phase angles and are thus a relatively easy load for tubes.

Here's the math:

Sensitivity is 2.83 volts at one meter, efficiency is 1 watt at one meter (into 8 ohms the two are the same). However 2.83 volts into 4 ohms works out to 2 watts. Doubling the power from 1 watt is 3 db; IOW subtract the 3 db from the 96 db figure and you have 93 db efficiency.

Ralph (Atmasphere), I certainly agree with your math, and in fact I've made the same point in a number of past threads about the 3db difference between 2.83 volt and 1 watt numbers for 4 ohm speakers. However, I'm not sure that you are characterizing the Daedalus speakers accurately.

First, as far as I know no Daedalus models are 4 ohms. At present the Daedalus website doesn't appear to specify impedances, but my Ulysses, which were the latest version prior to the recent introduction of the ".v2" version, were spec'd at 6 ohms (and 98 db). Other smaller models were spec'd at 8 ohms. And while I haven't ever seen an impedance curve for any of his models, I recall Lou Hinkley of Daedalus stating that the impedance of my version of the Ulysses is 6 +/- 1 ohms at all frequencies above 100 Hz, rising to a peak of 10 ohms in the deep bass region.

Second, the 96 to 98 db specs of the various Daedalus models are all specified on a 1W/1m basis, not 2.83V/1m.

That said, I would not suggest to the OP or others that an 8W SET be used with any of the Daedalus models, UNLESS no high volume listening is intended, AND recordings having particularly wide dynamic range (such as well recorded minimally compressed classical symphonic music) will not be listened to, AND listening distance and room size are not large. As you (Ralph) have rightfully pointed out on many occasions here, SETs will not perform up to their sonic potential if they are driven hard.

Best regards,
-- Al

See the Decware 945/946 ( http://www.decware.com/newsite/DM945.html)

I heard Tanner & Friedl and Devore Orangutan in RMAF 2013 in different rooms.

Preferred the Devore Orangutan by a large margin. More resolving, more involving. Admittedly the electronics driving the two speakers were different and so were the rooms of course.

Hope that helps. I also preferred it to and Zu, Coincident (TV 2).

Just my two cents.

Devore 0/96
Tannoy
LM
Spatial Audio