Big, big room -- which 10-20k speakers?

I can tell you that when I heard the Classic Audio Repro speakers at RMAF in a VERY big room, they could play rock at realistic levels (not earbleed, but real kick-a$$). And remember, the room size we are talking about is almost 21,000 cu ft., more than twice the volume of the 30 x 30 x 12 room that Rtilden referenced. No knock on the Tylers; I've never heard them. Agree w Atmasphere and Johnk that the laws of physics and the logarithmic power/volume relationship pretty much dictate a high efficiency design.

OK, guys, I'm chiming in again here. One day I will try to post photos of my room. I have read many helpful replies from Atmasphere over the years, and I find it hard not to go along with most all of the things he says. And considering his exposure to so much of the possibilities available, I would tend to defer to him. Yep, he's earned his street cred. My exposure is limited, but my listening room is actually a little larger than I had posted, and my Woodmeres do an excellent job with my CODA 15.0 amplifier. How loud do you need, boys? Huh? My spl meter reads 105db or more anytime I want to crank it. But my ears tell me that is not smart. I'm in this for the long haul, and so are my ears. Classical and jazz are my main venues, and I listen as loud as is reasonably practicable, any time I like, and dammit, my room and my seating position are experiencing realistic levels of concert music, at 5-20 rows back in a concert hall, depending upon the recording. Remember, this is my home, and I live in it daily. I do not base my knowledge upon hearing a rig in some showroom one time. I am by no means saying that my results could not be improved by different or larger speakers, but I am very pleased with my system and do not wish for any "more" delivery than I am getting. The OP tasked us with a budget, and I am respecting that. This post is offered only to give some perspective to the OP, from a music lover who listens daily in a rather large room.

Rtilden, Thanks for the comments.

We have done 105 quite comfortably at shows (when things were working) and not been able to manage 95 db (when they weren't).

Even though I rarely play the system that loud, I can comfortably play 115 db at home without the system getting overbearing! I did work on the front end to reduce vibration in the turntable, CDP and preamp to that end. This means that at normal levels the system is utterly without strain!

Getting a relaxed sound is the key. Especially if its relaxed at high volumes. IMO/IME a system should never sound loud. You should be surprised that you have to yell for someone sitting next to you to hear you. If OTOH the system sounds loud and shouty when you turn it up there is a problem somewhere- something that is generating odd-ordered harmonics (microphonics, resonance, cone breakups, amp clipping etc.).

Mapman quoted something on a different thread which I am paraphrasing- 'It is THE luxury of high end audio to listen at high volumes without stress'. That's it in a nutshell and is why efficiency is indicated in this situation.

I would recommend GR Research LS-9 or Super V's. Combine either of these with four servo subs and you could easily fill that room and fill it very well.

I hope you guys are listening to Ralph (Atmasphere). His comments are exactly correct and can only be stated with such confidence when a person has lived with a good system in a large room. The comment about shouting is a common one with my wife and me, as the sound is so relaxed and natural. Our home is quite open from room to room in the public areas, and the Great Room spills into another 3 rooms which are again in the 30x30 range. While wandering through an adjacent room I sometimes stop in my tracks, marvelling at what sounds like live musicians playing in the Great Room, at natural levels. Yet another example of knowing when the system is 'right'. And, yes, I do attend live musical performances with sporadic regularity.