Small monitors good at low listening levels?

Hi Larry,

These may be right up your alley. I have a pair
coming next week. I'll let you know!

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1171370539

I would add the REGA R1 and the NHT Classic 2 and Classic 3 to your list. I live in an apartment house and tend to listen at fairly low volume levels. The smaller models from B&W and Epos sound best when played loud.

Regards, Rich

How much do you want to spend? Best monitor for all listening levels:
Green Mountain Audio Callisto.

http://www.greenmountainaudio.com/Design%20Images/CallistoIntro319by445.jpg

Soliloquy 5.0's. I think there is a pair or two for sale now. Pulled out into the room they can sound terrific at low levels.

Chris

As you have a couple of floor standers on your list I'm recommending Meadowlark Audio Kestrel Hot Rods. They don't come up here as often as they used to but are wonderful speakers at low volume. I also owned the VR-1s and thought they were pretty good at low levels but the Kestrels beat them easily and don't take up any more than VR-1s on stands.

My Triangle Titus ES sound very good at low levels, which is how I usually listen to them (bedroom system). I especially like that they maintain frequency balance well.

How small?
Harbeth Compact 7es is excellent at low volume.
Linn Katans and Tukans.
Neat Petite
North Acoustics Spirit

I would also ad Joseph Audio RM7si and Totem Model 1 signatures to that list.

I second the Green Mountain suggestion and add that it holds for all of their models, including the $1000 Europas. It's why I bought them.

I third the Green Mountain Audio line. I was impressed by how full range they were at even very low volumes. Can't go wrong here.

I had the same goals as you for my second (bedroom) system, and upon a recommendation from a very knowledgable audiophile buddy, picked up a pair of TAD TSM-300 studio monitors (originally made by Pioneer Electronics), and run them with a 2-watt 45 tube amp- great at lower and medium levels. Also- for lower level listening, I have found the preamp can make a difference here as well- in particular, the transformer-coupled passives (am using one myself in the above system) can be very pure and revealing at lower levels...

With the same goals in a small room at nearfield I really like my Reference 3a Di Capo i's . They are , however , best with tubes . A very nice speaker .

Coincident Triumph UHS speakers work great at low volumes.

Michael

Merlin TSM-MM, don't miss a chance to listen to their huge stage, amazing detail and excellent transients. I get complements from casual listeners all the time when driven with a SimAudio I-5.

Totem Mani-2 Signature is one of the best monitor speakers I ever heard. But they require an amplifier with some guts.

Thanks for the suggestions..I have considered many of the speakers mentioned. I run a tad 150 sig preamp and have a tad 60 tube amp and a sonographe sa 250 ss, so I can go either way to see which is best. My room is very small . about 10x12 so I have to watch my bass response. One advantage of my room is that it is assymetrical so standing waves are not a big problem. I am especially intrigued by the gma and merlin suggestions. Can anyone comment further? thanks...Also do you think I could realize a sigificant improvement with my spendors by upgrading my amplificaton?