speakers for classical music

Also how is the power consumption for these units - i.e. can you run them off the same 15 amp circuit w/o any problem.

Power consumption is low - no more than four amps for the pair - Since the speaker and amp are matched they can design them with momentary gain reduction so you don't get crazy things happening if you overdrive them (like a fuse tripping).

Genelec, PMC, and ATC active three ways all play loud with tremendous dynamics/punchy sound and all have a following. It is really a personal thing so I could not guess which you will prefer - for example PMC has more bass whilst ATC is more forward in the mids - take your pick. At this level of investment a trip is definitely worthwhile to hear at least two of the three....after all you may not even like the forward punchy sound of these actives (fatiguing some would call it) ...although I grant you that Genelec 8040 appears to have garnered your interest and they are fairly neutral - but there is a huge step up from these small monitors to a bigger three way active - if you have not heard it then play Sheffield Labs drum track loudly at your first chance of a demo and you will surely be gobsmacked.

Hi Dave, if there were a relatively recent -- or well remastered -- Boulez performance, that may be the ticket to the Rite Of Spring. . . just stay away from Igor Stravinsky's very own performance,or Monteaux.

Ozawa's Rite (with the CSO no less -- no my friend I'm not seeking out CSO releases to torture you with) is well reviewed and out on XRCD.

Dave

I use the Rite of Spring that was recorded by Kenneth Wilkenson for the RCA/Reader's Digest's box set 'Music of the World's Great Composers. It is a spirited performance and the sonics are spectacular but natural. I've often demoed it at shows.

For quite a bit less than the ATCs, I think one would do better with a set of speakers from Audiokinesis. We had a set in recently and they were spectacular and well as reasonably priced.

I tend to steer clear of using classical music to evaluate as a system busting tool, classical cd's are usually very well recorded and all are extremely listenable. For me its better to use cd's that are a bit edgy with jangly guitars and lots of splashing cymbals'. Then again massed strings or massed voices are usually good enough to separate the wheat from the chaff. Happy listening all!