High efficiency bookshelf speakers

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Early B.
Early B. Posts: 7,900
edited February 2005 in 2 Channel Audio
I'm looking for a pair of highly efficient bookshelf speakers to go with tube gear. My criteria include:

1. less than $500 used in very good condition
2. gotta have some decent bass (around 50 Hz or less)
3. looks are fairly important
4. will consider DIY
5. a good resell value

Any speakers come to mind that fit these criteria?
HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

"God grooves with tubes."
Post edited by Early B. on
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  • Loud & Clear
    Loud & Clear Posts: 1,538
    edited January 2005
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    Early,

    Your profile still indicates your earlier, solid state gear.

    Two Channel Setup:

    Speakers: Wharfedale Opus 2-3
    Integrated Amp: Krell S-300i
    DAC: Arcam irDac
    Source: iMac
    Remote Control: iPad Mini

    3.2 Home Theater Setup:

    Fronts: Klipsch RP-160M
    Center: Klipsch RP-160M
    Subwoofer: SVS PB12NSD (X 2)
    AVR: Yamaha Aventage RX-A2030
    Blu Ray: Sony BDP-S790
    TV Source: DirecTV Genie
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2005
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    That's my HT system. I have a separate 2-channel setup.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • gatemplin
    gatemplin Posts: 1,595
    edited January 2005
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    I'll throw out some suggestions for you. A popular DIY kit for tube gear is the Adire Audio HE10 http://www.adireaudio.com/TextPages/HE101PageFrameText.htm
    They also have the high efficiency HE12 and KIT281. I think they look good but other people probably dont. DIY also has a fairly low resale value.

    Another DIY option is full range drivers like those from Fostex and Lowther (expensive).

    http://www.lowtherloudspeakers.co.uk/homeindex.html

    http://www.fostexinternational.com/docs/speaker_comp/line_up_1.shtml

    There are also lots of HE vintage speakers from companies like Klipsch, EV, and Altec.
    Graham
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  • Early B.
    Early B. Posts: 7,900
    edited January 2005
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    Thanks, gatemplin.

    I think I'll try a DIY full range design using the Fostex FE166E drivers.
    HT/2-channel Rig: Sony 50” LCD TV; Toshiba HD-A2 DVD player; Emotiva LMC-1 pre/pro; Rogue Audio M-120 monoblocks (modded); Placette RVC; Emotiva LPA-1 amp; Bada HD-22 tube CDP (modded); VMPS Tower II SE (fronts); DIY Clearwave Dynamic 4CC (center); Wharfedale Opus Tri-Surrounds (rear); and VMPS 215 sub

    "God grooves with tubes."
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  • BlueMDPicker
    BlueMDPicker Posts: 7,569
    edited January 2005
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    Early,

    Double your budget and buy some SDA SRSs. Of course, you'll be needing a larger bookshelf to hold them :p

    They're on the order of 92 db efficient and a 4 ohm nominal load. All of my tube gear drives them very well (35 to 75 wpc). I was never overly impressed with the bass response and extension of the PRs until I drove them with tube amplification - now I am. Plus, you won't have to concern yourself with resale value - you'll never part with them. :cool:

    Mike
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  • hoosier21
    hoosier21 Posts: 4,408
    edited January 2005
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    www.decware.com has some nice FR designs, here is one available http://www.decware.com/HDT/hdt.htm
    Dodd - Battery Preamp
    Monarchy Audio SE100 Delux - mono power amps
    Sony DVP-NS999ES - SACD player
    ADS 1230 - Polk SDA 2B
    DIY Stereo Subwoofer towers w/(4) 12 drivers each
    Crown K1 - Subwoofer amp
    Outlaw ICBM - crossover
    Beringher BFD - sub eq

    Where is the remote? Where is the $%#$% remote!

    "I've always been mad, I know I've been mad, like the most of us have...very hard to explain why you're mad, even if you're not mad..."
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  • waylyn5945
    waylyn5945 Posts: 18
    edited January 2005
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    Have you looked at any of the speakers from Definitive Technology (DefTech)?
    Wayno
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  • Danny Tse
    Danny Tse Posts: 5,206
    edited January 2005
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    I highly recommend the Energy Connoisseur C-3, soundstage.com's 2002 Budget Leader Award winner. Here's another
    review.

    Now that Energy has introduced a new line (the Connoisseur Reference series), the C-3 is now available for less than $500.00/pair. I have seen them as low as $250.00/pair brand-new from authorized dealers.
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited January 2005
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    I'm going to be trying the DecWare HDT's in about 3 to 6 months if you want to wait that long for a review. Actually I've read the HDT's are a great deal and have superior sound with no shout, whatever that means. I'm sold on them without even a listen but that doesn't mean much. Check out this review.

    http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/frr.pl?rspkr&1100567900&read&3&4&

    You can build them yourself for about $110 supplies plus $300 for the drivers. (or $168 for drivers if you want to get by cheaper).

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,080
    edited January 2005
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    :D

    This is gonna be fun.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • marker
    marker Posts: 1,084
    edited January 2005
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    One word I can't believe someone else hasn't already suggested-
    Klipsch.

    They would go great with tubes with their horns.
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited January 2005
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    Lot's of great choices here already mentioned. I add one that hasn't been mentioned and is "different" and unique.

    Triangle speakers. Titus or the bigger Comete fit your price range and good efficiency. I've heard the Titus on Audio Research tube amp gear and it was very good. A little weak in the bass though; perhaps the Comete would fare better.

    Lots of good reviews on audioreview.com and Stereophile Recommended B speakers. Definitely worth a demo if you can listen to them on some tube gear.

    http://www.audioshopper.com/audiowaves/TRIANGLE.html
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  • organ
    organ Posts: 4,969
    edited January 2005
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    Don't really know what the resell value on these would be but you should be able to find them for under $500. Check out the Klipsch RB-35 from their Reference line. At 96db/w/m, they are super efficient. I've got the tower version and they sound fabulous with tubes. The cheaper ones would be the RB-25 and 15. http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=659

    Maurice
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,522
    edited February 2005
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    2 93dB @ 1watt efficient choices under $500 (new):

    1. Energy C-3
    2. Athena AS-B2
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • George Grand
    George Grand Posts: 12,258
    edited February 2005
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    Small to medium sized B & W's. I have a pair of DM-550's here in the house. While they're not likely to displace either the Amazing's or the AR-9's, they are not offensive in the least. I was hitting them pretty good the other day with a Carver M-500t power amp (NAD 1020A pre), they sounded great, went down fairly low, and they're ported, so fairly efficient.

    George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,080
    edited February 2005
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    Just wanted to let you guys know Early B is getting Fostex FE166E in a vented enclosure ;) and shouldnt cost much more than 300-350 ;)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
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    Oh no! You are not building them are you?? :D
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,080
    edited February 2005
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    :D

    See thread - Early B: Off Topic
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
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    Off Topic? RU getting old or something? Didn't see it.
    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
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  • TheReaper
    TheReaper Posts: 636
    edited February 2005
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    http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=25548
    Win7 Media Center -> Onkyo TXSR702 -> Polk Rti70
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  • madmax
    madmax Posts: 12,434
    edited February 2005
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    OK, I saw that when it first went up but couldn't figure it out. I guess he could call it an "Ampra B". :)

    madmax
    Vinyl, the final frontier...

    Avantgarde horns, 300b tubes, thats the kinda crap I want... :D
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter