[mrarroyo]

As the title indicates I am looking for a very efficient bookshelf speakers. So far I have found the Klipsch RB-61 ( RB-61 --- Bookshelf Loudspeaker, Klipsch Reference Series ) and the RB-81 ( RB-81 )

These two have an MSRP of $448 and $698 respectively. Either of these would do but I am trying to broaden the horizon with additional offerings.

So, do you have a recommendation? BTW, the amp would be a Glow Amp One, and the source a Lite DAC-AH w/ the passive mods. Thanks.

 

[slwiser]

How about the smaller Omega speakers which are about the same size as the RB-81:
Omega Speakers Products

Zu Tone:

Tone™ Bookshelf Studio Monitor - Zu Audio - Phone (800) 516-8925

Another Zu speaker:

6moons audio reviews: Zu Audio Druid Credenza

Here is the beginning of a thread I have in my archives from the Asylum speaking to this subject-- "Is 90dB eff enough?": Audio Asylum Thread Printer (note that not all these would be considered bookshelf size) and another note: The "I have" is not me, below;


I have lots of experience with monitor speakers in the 92 - 96 dB range run by low powered tube amps, which I have summarized below. I suggest you not get hung up on a single characteristic like sensitivity, although I might guess you will do better with somewhat more sensitive speakers. There are a few monitors in the 92-96 dB range that do fairly well with low powered (2 – 8 watt) SET amps in a moderate size room. Bass won't be great, but you can get good midrange and good imaging. I have a 12 x 10 home office with a REL Strata III, so bass is not an issue for me although I don’t use it most of the time. Here are a few monitors I have tried in the last couple of
years, in order of my personal preference:

"1. Coincident Triumph Signature UHS, Extreme Version - neutral presentation, excellent
imaging, speakers disappear, wonderfully transparent, smooth and highly detailed mids, bass
not as deep, but tighter than other monitors
2. Reference 3A MM De Capo i - good clarity and imaging, smooth midrange and nice tight
bass, highs good, big soundstage, slightly rich sounding
3. Cabasse Goelette 500 - slightly forward, outstanding clarity, good strong midrange, wide
soundstage, highs very good, tight bass (can change woofer phase for more bass)
[ Alert Moderator ]
4. Reimer McCullough GS - Big, slightly warm sound, best bass in a monitor, detail very good,
good smooth mids
5. Coincident Triumph Signature UHS - recessed presentation, excellent imaging, speakers
disapear, smooth and detailed
6. Galante Raphpsody - warm & sweet midrange, limited highs, imaging only good, detail good,
sound veiled compared to the best
7. Omega TS1R - slightly forward, good mids, good highs, lack transparency of best monitors
but a great value for the $
8. Omega Super 3 - slightly forward, clean mids, ok highs, fast sounding, bass lacking
9. Adire HE 10.1 - good midrange, lacks detail and highs, nice bass
10. Klipsch RB-35 - good bass, but mids too fatiguing, even after 30 days of break-in
11. Loth X BS 1 - forward mids, weak highs, shouty and fatiguing

 

[mrarroyo]

Yes, I have thought of the Omega and now I have to add the Credenza.

But in reality I will not buy them! Why? MONEY or should I say LACK OF MONEY!

The Credenza looks beautiful.

 

[slwiser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrarroyo /img/forum/go_quote.gif The Credenza looks beautiful.

Yes it does, doesn't it....I have a pair in my mind for my distant future to mate with the Berning micro-ZOTL.

On the Asylum site you can fine some great discussions of small horn type speakers that are high eff at a good price.

One more Asylum post:

"Posted by Paul Joppa on August 05, 1999 at 21:08:11:

While I certainly don't want to suggest that science is everything, there are two points about SET
amps that are highly predictable:

1) They are usually low power. You want typically 102dB capability for fully satisfactory sound.

The amp adds 10*log(watts) dB to the speaker sensitivity. (base 10 logarithm) Some examples:

45 tube 2 watts = 3dB wants 99dB speaker
2A3 tube 3.5 watts = 5dB wants 97dB speaker
300B amp 8 watts = 9dB wants 93dB speaker
88dB speaker wants 14dB = 25 watts
90dB speaker wants 12dB = 16 watts

You can have lots of fun with less power, if your room is tiny and/or you like chamber music or
little-girl-with-acoustic-guitar music, but this is the standard minimum.

2) Most SET amps are without feedback. Triode amps without feedback, SE or push-pull, have a
damping factor of 2 or so, not the 50-1000 of heaviily fed-back sand amps. This means the bass
resonances of the speaker are "loosened up" a little - expect the bass to change! Speakers whose
bass is a little too quick and tight with a feedback amp are likely to come alive with a no-feedback
amp, while flabby bass will just get worse."

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by slwiser /img/forum/go_quote.gif Yes it does, doesn't it....I have have a pair in my distant future to mate with the Berning micro-ZOTL. On the Asylum site you can fine some great discussions of small horn type speakers that are high eff at a good price.

BASTA__!

Not really,

just very envious. Those two should sound awesome.

 

[cyberan]

if you are willing to invest some effort and building a speaker kit, there are great drivers from fostex that don't require any knowledge in crossover design, they all end up sounding sweet and better then 95% of the low budget bookshelf speakers.

what is your distance from the speaker ?
why isn't 92db enough for you ?

look at Madisound Speaker Components, Inc. (fostex)

 

[mrarroyo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyberan /img/forum/go_quote.gif if you are willing to invest some effort and building a speaker kit, there are great drivers from fostex that don't require any knowledge in crossover design, they all end up sounding sweet and better then 95% of the low budget bookshelf speakers. what is your distance from the speaker ? why isn't 92db enough for you ? look at Madisound Speaker Components, Inc. (fostex)

I am DIY Challenged! The amp puts out 5 WPC, the room is 14 by 22.

 

[Headphony]

You might want to check out the Tekton Design speakers with those Fostex drivers. They are not quite as sensitive as you are looking for, but they work very well with low power amps. I had Klipsch RB-61's at 95db, and found the Tekton 4.1s to work better with a T-amp. (either Trends or Sonic Impact) The Klipsch did not seem to be in control as much as the Tektons.

 

[ouaiba]

 
Very interesting thread, I really like the combination of small amp + high efficiency speakers. It goes against what my teachers in electronic always said: "the more can do the less". 
I went for a quest of speakers and it was not easy to mate my amp. After listening to 20 something I was not convinced to have found the best sound. So I listen to slwiser  and went through his list. Some of these speakers are hard to find and being French I focused on number 3. I was lucking enough to find a pair in Romanian and took the risk to buy it without much form of guaranty. 
I have to say that after hours and hours of listen these speakers are excellent. The sound is crystal clear and the medium wonderfull. The base is heavy and detailed. With a tube amp they are warm and have a very wide special spatial scene.
I recently went to an Hifi show in Milan and I listened to truly exceptional systems and back home I realized how good was mine. Obviously there is still better out there but at ten times the cost. So if you ever see a Cabasse goellette 500 to sell, give it a try … you will be surprised.
Thank you to slwiser

 

[Frank I]

Another option is the Omega speakers designed in  USA by Louis Choco. His new Hoyt Beresford speakers are 98DB and utilize a 8 inch single drive. Built to order with a 10 yr warranty by Louis who been doping this for twenty years. I own the 93DB Super Five and am very happy with them. The Hoyt are 795.00 pair

 

[trog]

Well from my lovely experience with my very 1st T-amp  + 89db efficient bookshelf speakers : i dun recommend awful PC/boxed speakers to frens/relatives anymore as for PC Audio/nearfield one could actually get very decent SQ for little $$ actually