Best Small Speakers

We are using three Gallo Due speakers for L/C/R channel and the Micro speakers for the rear channels. A JM Lab/Focal subwoofer completes the system. The Gallo speakers sound very, very good and are quite flexible for mounting purposes. They sound best, of course, on good stands away from walls. They also sound very good on shelves, walls, or ceilings. Used Gallo speakers are an excellent value with a pair of Micros for about 200 and three Dues for less than 1200 (they retailed for 600ea). They came in various colours, too; most were white or black. They are amp friendly in that they are rated at 8 ohms and 92db sensitivity so 30 or 40 good watts is all you need to make big sound.

Get out your grains of salt and/or hip waders - dealer plugging his wares here. You might consider the Omega Super 3R, which uses a modified Fostex full-range driver in an exceptionally inert reflex enclosure. This speaker is fairly high in efficiency (lower 90's) and has a very friendly impedance curve, so you could team it up with a nice little SET amplifier for a very sweet-sounding little package. Not the best for high volume levels (full-range drivers can sound congested at high volume levels with complex music such as full orchestra), but the little Super 3R is the first speaker I've heard in the price ballpark of the Maggie MMG that I think competes with the MMG. The Omega does low-level detail better and is more coherent, while the MMG will play louder and gives a more open presentation due to its dipole nature.

I have a customer who is very happy with his 5-grand floorstanders (which I had sold to him), and I let him try the Super 3R for a few weeks. He almost decided to sell his big speakers and keep the little Omegas. After going back and forth for a while he finally decided to keep his big speakers, but it really was close.

Best of luck in your quest!

Duke

Check out KRK Systems out of Huntington Beach CA.Their pretty good....Bob

I'd second ProAcs, but... I'm more familiar with the 2s speakers (I'm listening to a pair right now). For some reason, I thought the 1SCs were rear ported? If so, it would be a bad match for someone wall mounting them... I've also found that the ProAcs like really good stands. Not sure how they would sound wall mounted.

Oh, too many choices...

Along with the Gallo speakers mentioned, I might suggest:

Monitor Audio Radius (mini)
Monitor Audio Studio 2se
Monitor Audio S1, S2

Totem Model 1
Totem Mite (mini monitor)
Totem Rainmaker

Linn Kan (compact)

Epos ELS-3

NHT SB3, SB2, or SB1
NHT M-00 (powered mini)

Silverline SR12, SR15

Thiel Powerpoint

Sonus Faber Concertinos, or Wall

Most, if not all of these used, would be less under $1000, generally being in $300-800 range, with a couple of exceptions (Thiel??) and a couple would be new in the $300 range. I've even seen some Meridian M33's go for $700-800/pr lately.