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High Efficiency Speaker Asylum Need speakers that can rock with just one watt? You found da place. |
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High Efficiency Speaker Asylum Need speakers that can rock with just one watt? You found da place. |
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In Reply to: High Efficiency Monitors posted by jackiejr on September 20, 2010 at 18:16:12:
The AN J/Spe was measured by Hi-Fi Choice magazine (not in corners because they don't have any) as the AudioHobby noted as 89.5db or around 93db if you place them correctly in the corners.
Typically, Audio Note does not make 1.5 watt SET amps - they typically make 8-27watt SET amplifiers because the speakers are not super high sensitive.
Interestingly the AN J is about 1db lower in sensitivity but they seem to be easier loads never dipping under 5ohms while the AN E dips to 3.6. So you could make the case that the J is the easier speaker to drive.
If you go with the HE version of the woofer SEAS notes that they are 3db higher.
Hi-Fi Choice magazine also reviewed the AN E/D and Spe version and got better than 94db sensitivity with both of them. Hi-Fi Critic also measured them and got 94.5 (but I would assume these are all corner ratings if you wish to be on the safe side.
I have the J/Spe with the OTO in a 12X16 room (The OTO is a 10 watt amp but about 4 undistorted). I can't imagine anyone who values their long term hearing playing it as loud as the AN J/OTO can play and that's never playing it past halfway. If you want more volume I suppose you could get the higher sensitive drivers or a more powerful SET amp.
A nice alternative to the AN speakers might be the Teresonic single drivers. Not as much bass but more sensitive and the come in a smaller size. But to get more bass than the AN J or E while retaining both the size and the efficiency and more importantly the sound quality - I have not found it yet - or anything even in the same class. To get more bass usually means a much bigger speaker - bigger speakers seem to present more room problems, cost more money, and if you want the high sensitivity usually means being forced to buy a horn. If you go single driver you don't get the bass - and if you do get the bass the speakers are massive. Even the AN's need to be put very very hard in the corners to really show what kind of bass can be put out.
If you have more money you could look at the Trenner and Freidl RA Box. It's bigger than the AN E though but it can thunder (not super easy to drive so you would still need a powerful SET.
I believe that bass requires size - which is why I don't like most standmount speakers. The AN J and E are quite large for standmounts and even then they basically need the corner to "kind of" make the speaker the size of the wall. I like the big speaker sound in terms of dynamics and ease of presentation but I like the advantage of the small speakers sounding more cohesive. The AN J and E are compromises getting most of what the big speakers can do while retain as close tot he single driver sound as any two way I have heard is able to do.
The numbers are not all that useful. I have had plenty of speakers that are rated for example 90db and 40hz that sound wimpy on both counts while my bigger speakers are also rated as 40hz and actually sound the part in "real life" and not merely on someone's test bench.
That is why the AN E/SPE HE with a 20 watt amp at CES could pound the snot out of so many other rooms despite their triple the size 3 ways with 15 inch woofers and 400 watt SS amps. You have to actually listen and put you hand on the volume knob or have a demonstrator will gleefully turn the knob up and up. The proof as it were is in the pudding.
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- RE: High Efficiency Monitors - RGA 13:34:52 09/22/10 (0)
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