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Sensitivity in speakers

Just my luck I took woodshop instead of electrical engineering. Maybe if I undestood the difference between a volt vs. a watt, I might know how to pick my next speakers.

Here's the problem - as much as I like cranking it when the missus isn't around (perhaps I should reword that?), I want speakers that I don't have to blast to get a full bodied sound. Upgraditis has lead me to Manley Neoclassic 250's driven by a Manley Steelhead with a Sota Cosmos/Shelter901 and Wavelength DAC as sources (the sources courtesy of Jay Kaufman at Audio Revolutions - a truly great guy to work with). All of this runs into Von Schweikert VR-2's. A nice speaker from my POV but not quite up to the rest of the system.

Recommendations please - what speakers would fit into this system that would sound great at all volume levels? Of course like many of us I want soaring extended highs, warm, life-like mids' and bass from the bowels of the earth.

I don't have unlimited resources but I'd rather measure the distance between me and great speakers in time rather than current cashflow.

Sugestions?
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Showing 1 response by karl_desch

karl_desch's avatar
karl_desch
422 posts
 
I take your question to mean...you want speakers that sound good at lower volumes. Ones that do not need loud volumes to open up. If that is the case, I'm not sure there is a golden rule. In my experience however, I find that the more efficent speakers do sound better at lower volumes. I do not refer to the ultra efficient horn speakers or single driver speakers, I have no experience with them. But, a speaker like older Dynaudio Confidence 3 or Spica Angelus seemed to need more volume to start appreciating all the frequencies.

You have an excellent system. I would anticipate that you'll need to audition several speakers at home to get what your looking for. Audio physics, VR's, Merlin, or Silverline all seem like reasonable choices to me.

Cheers. -Karl
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