Resonably priced (Less then $1000) High efficiency Bookshelf speakers?

Hi everyone,
I am looking for some ideas as to a pair of high efficiency bookshelf speakers for use with a 50watt tube integrated amp playing both AIFF files and vinyl.
Right now I am using a pair of HSU Reasearch HB-1 MK IIs and would like to upgrade. The tubes used are EL34s.

Thanks Bill.

 

Tekton Mini Lore Monitor? 95db rating. I've never heard them.
http://www.tektondesign.com/loremonitors.html

 

I haven't heard the Decware DM945/946 but it's another one circa $1K, 94 dB m/w. But with 50 wpc, I dunno that you need extreme efficiency especially if the speakers have a relatively benign impedence curve

 

Save your money, buy Klipsch Heritage once. Enjoy them forever. Or buy less forever. Your choice. I chose Klipsch and forever.

 

50 tube watts is quite a lot of power. You don't really need to limit yourself to "high efficiency" speakers, just don't anything that is very demanding and you'll be fine.

 

Ok, if 50 tube watts is enough power, bring on the choices, please.

 

Elac B6

 

If you are willing to go the pre owned route, the original Piano Black - Reference 3a De Capo's show up from time to time at around $1000. I listened to the new MFSL 2 X 45 KOB last night through mine with a pair of EL34 based mono's, heaven.

 

Haven't you heard? After the last audio show, and probably even stronger after RMAF, the new Elac speakers are getting nothing but absolutely rave comments.

 

I don't think that these will work for the op, they are not very efficient at 85db.

 

Paradigm makes speakers at all price points. They aren't as efficient as Klipsch but they are somewhere in the neighborhood of 90db. I've got the Titans, a friend has Studio 100's powered by 60 watts of Arcam and he likes his music loud.

 

I'd audition KEF LS-50's and Nola Boxers and keep my eye out for a USED pair in that range. No need to go high efficiency with 50 watts on tap, but the KEFs are 85db and the Nolas are 90db.

 

The Elac B6's are 87db. I also agree with Ken Smith above that 50 tube watts are plenty loud enough for most good speakers.

 

I have paradigm studio 20 v5 with a 40 watt tube amp and it gets plenty loud for me
These were discountined for a few months and I was able to get a pair at close out pricing

 

I haven't seen any reports from RMAF about any of the ELAC speakers. Has anyone?

 

http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2015/10/04/rmaf-2015-elac-is-electrifying/

http://www.audiostream.com/content/...2015-man-thats-just-crazy#xcIdLUMjJVJm7mie.97

 

I have a pair of Titan Monitors with my vintage Sansui G-4700, which has 50 watts. If I turn the Sansui up to 3 (about the 10 0'clock position), the Titans play nice and loud. (Loud enough for my wife to complain.) I love how they sound; very musical with great mid-range and smooth highs. Bass is very good for such a small speaker. They are a great value. I'm also a fan of Focal speakers (I have 4 Chorus 826V speakers in my living room), though I've never heard their bookshelf models. However, based on my floor standing speakers, I'd bet they sound amazing. Also, I just had a look at the Music Direct web site, and they have the Chorus 806V bookshelf speakers on sale for $599 a pair. Which is an excellent price, IMO. They have an efficiency of 90db, and bass extends down to 55Hz which is great for a bookshelf model.

Edit: One thing about the Focal brand: They produce their speakers completely in house. That means that they make every part, and QC is outstanding. I chose them for my HT system for their sound, and for the fact that no matter how old your speakers get if you have a driver fail, they can replace it. I understand that even if they've quit making a particular driver, they can still produce a new one to order since they keep their designs and dies.

 

Are you really putting them on bookshelves?

Speaker's efficiency is related to size-Google "Hoffman's Iron Law) so I can tell you as a loudspeaker engineer that I would be VERY VERY skeptical of any bookshelf speaker claiming high efficiency. That is only achievable by sacrificing bass response, which no commercial design is going to do.

Towers are indicated, or Klipsch, or maybe those guys in Utah...Zu Audio, that's it.

Would you DIY?

 

Omega Loudspeakers Super 7 Monitor. Single driver, coherent with some of the best imaging I have heard and super easy to drive with no cross over (can be driven with as little as 2 watts to good volume in a medium sized room).

Efficiency of 95dB @ 8 Ohms,
Made in the USA,
Frequency Range of 45 - 20kHz,
10 year warranty.
$995 for really nice (3D grain) laminates and $1295 for real wood veneers.

 

Right, the LS50's can be found for as low as $900 used. I'm using them with 28 watts of tube power (Fisher 400) in a small room. They seem to perform best with an amp that can accommodate 4-ohms' impedance, so keep that in mind.

 

The new Rega RX1's should work great with your amp.

Or Tannoy Revolution XT6's.

 

I auditioned a lot of speakers a while ago and I bought a pair of Philharmonic Audio Philharmonitors when the older model was $850. Absolutely love them and my audiophile and non-audiophile friends rave about them when they're over. Lifetime speakers, imo.

The newer model is $1450 but if I were in the market I wouldn't hesitate for a second to order a pair.

 

Those are pretty. I need to find out more about them.

 

Whoever said 85 dB efficient speakers need more than 50 watts has got be kidding or have blown eardrums. Any 50 watt tube amp is overkill for an 85 dB speaker, by almost double... That's fine, I like 2 times more power than I need to ensure dynamics are not compressed, and loudness is PLENTY reasonable for symphonic music in a big room. ROCK needs less power, not more, because although the average loudness is higher, the MAX volume is much lower. Such a pairing would NEVER require max volume and possible clipping distortion... not even close. Probably NEVER more than 1/2 power will ever be used.

Let's see:

95 dB efficient speakers only need about 3 watts. Now for every 3 dB less efficiency, you need double the power. So 92 dB speakers need 6 watts, 89 dB efficency needs 12 watts, and 86 dB needs 24 watts.

Finally, a 48 watt amp (lets say 50) provides PLENTY of power to a 83 dB speaker, unless you need to fill an auditorium packed with people.

Just because many audiophiles like big numbers, like 500 wpc or more, doesn't mean they ever approach using it, UNLESS the speakers are such low impedance (1 or 2 ohms) that their current requirements are off-the-charts.

 

RMAF was October 2 to 4, so let's see what speakers get mentioned, that might appeal to the OP. If the last show, in San Francisco, was any indication of current bang-for-the-buck bookshelf speaker state-of-the-art, I should be selling the Elacs in my audio store.