Recommendations for against the wall high efficiency speakers


I’m a believer in synergy, not individual components.   I’m setting up a new system in my condo and like most condos, I’ve got some limitations.   My room is 16’ wide and 35’ long, 9’ height.   The system will be placed 2/3 down on the long wall.   It’s the living room and my wife says no ugly room treatments as it’s our living room.   Just to head this off - I don’t need a new wife.    I listen at moderate levels (usually 70-85db).   Mostly progressive rock and jazz, all streamed, no phono.   Budget is $8k, for used speakers.   Once the speakers are mostly set, I'll work on amps, preamp, DAC, streamer, & cables ($25k all in budget, all used components).

 

The speakers will need to be placed right up next to the wall, so I was thinking of Ohm or Larsen, but these aren't very efficient – are there other options?   I’d like much higher efficiency as I like the dynamic presentation I generally get with that setup, but I don’t know of any efficient speakers I can place next to the wall.

 

I can add subs, if necessary, but I do need to take into account my neighbors above and below me.

 

I should add that historically, I've really preferred the sound of dipoles or open-baffle designs, but I don't have the space for them here.

 

Any suggestions or recommendations for my new-to-me main speakers?

noodlyarm

Not efficient at all, but Gradient Revolution (the older the better for WAF) was made for this.

Also, why of they have to be high efficiency? There are lots of high power amps for not much money that can give you dynamics.

@roxy54, Interesting idea.   I've not heard the Audio Note, but they are well reviewed.   I'll see if I can find a pair to audition somewhere.

 

@rar1, I love Zu and had not thought about them.   Can they be placed up against the wall?   I've only heard the Druid 5 out in the room a ways, and figured that ruled them out for me.

 

@paradisecom, I used to own a pair of La Scala's way back in the late 70's.   I loved them, particularly after I modded the crossovers and adopted the new (1980) mid driver.   They would be too large, but the Cornwall IV...   Hmmm.

 

@hedwigstheme, they don't have to be high efficiency, I just generally like the sound and dynamic contrasts of high efficiency speakers.   I've never heard of Gradient revolution, but I'm looking them up right after i hit send on this reply.

 

Thank you all.

some high sensitivity speakers:

brand name model price sensitivity impedance
Paradigm Premier 100B 399 90 8
Indiana TESI 261 450 91 4
Usher s-520 475 91 8
Klipsch RP-500M II 500 92 8
Tekton MINI LORE MONITOR  700 95 8
Indiana DIVA 262 800 91 4
Sonus Faber Lumina I 1000 90 4
Zu DWX 1398 95 8
Tekton DYNAMITE MONITOR 1700 92 4
Indiana DIVA 660 2100 91 8
Fyne F500SP 2300 90 8
Paradigm Founder 40B 2400 92 8
Triangle 40th Anniversary Comete EZ 2500 90 8
Zu Union 6 2900 99 8
Martin Logan ElectroMotion ESL 2800USD 3000 91 6
Klipsch Heritage Heresy IV 3200 99 8
Reference 3a MM DE CAPO BE MONITOR 3290 93 8
Creative Sound Solutions Criton 2TD-X Tower 3300 90 6
Nola Boxer 3 3500 90 8
Amphion Helium520/2 way vented 3600 90 4
JBL JBL 4329 4500 91 8
Devore Fidelity FIDELITY ORANGUTAN O/BABY 6000 90 8
Volti Razz LE 6500 97 6
Q Acoustics Concept 500 7000 90 6
Vienna Acoustics Concert Grand Reference 9900 90 4
Wharfedale Elysian 4 10000 92 4
Soundkaos Vox 3 10000 90 4
Totem Element Metal V2 10500 91 4
Sonner Legato Duo 12000 90 4
Zu druid 6 12500 101 8
Tekton 1812 MODEL V12 12570 104 4
Klipsch Heritage La Scala AK6 13000 105 8
Avantgarde  Uno 15000 107 18
Verity Audio Lakme 16000 91 8
Volti Vittoria 16500 104 6
Devore Fidelity FIDELITY GIBBON X “TEN”  17000 91 8.
Perlisten  S7T 18000 92 4
Paradigm Persona 9H 18500 96 8
Triangle Magellan Quatuor 20000 91 8
Usher td-10 22000 91 8
ProAc K10 23000 92 4