I need very sensitive speakers that wont break the bank

[RGA]

Just a correction to TAH who has already been corrected on another fourm but oh well.

Anyway -- All Audio Note sensitivity ratings are done from corners -- which is where they are designed to be placed and THIS IS what is stated on their website. Placing a speaker in the corner and near wall of a room - most any has a gain of 3db. Hi-fi Choice's measuring room has no viable corner so all of their reviews of Audio Note speakers are not ideal -- in spite of that they do very well in all measured response and blind listening sessions -- unfortunately when not in corners they are going to sound less than ideal and a lttle more coloured in the midrange because they don't have the support of the wall behind -- I have their speakers and know this first hand. Audio Note factors in reflected waves of the side walls and possibly has a reverb when way out from walls -- i still think they sound fantastic away from walls but I think I get what paul messenger was notoing in his review of the AN E. Though it should be noted that the E was given a best Buy award from the magazine, and made their list of favorite componants and more importantly they bought the speakers AGAIN (they bough them as a reference tool for wehnt hey compare and or measure componants back in 1992 (Stereophile also owns a pair for such tests).

The Audio Note J/Spe has been measured by Hi-fiChoice as 89.5db away from corners - Audio Note claims on their site "Around 93db when properly placed in corners" 89.5 + 3db = 92.5. 92.5 is around 93db so Audio Note rounded up which is the rule in mathematics. Some horrible bright and cold speakers tend to sound louder because they are often ahead of their woofers -- this in your face presentation can trick listeners into thinking what they're hearing is better sensitivity -- some lower efficency speaker do this to compensate and some high efficency ones like certain Klipsch speakers have their treble band jump forward for impressive impact but not necessarily long listenability. IMO.

Another review out of the Phillipines measured the J/Spe at 95db. The J speakers do not dip below 5ohms though the E goes to 3.6 which is still quite easy because it dips here in the main band.

As for ease of drive -- My Wharfedales ar 95db sensitive 8 ohms -- and not friendly to weak power -- there is a difference between power and watts I suspect because I had a top of the line Pioneer Eleite at 125 watts RMS (across the ENTIRE band) that sucked donkey balls at driving them crisply. The THD specs were ridiculous at .000025% THD. I brought home a Brysto 3b at 120 watts (5 watts less than the pioneer) which made my Pioneer sound like a sick little weakling girlie man amp.

Clearly there is significantly moreto it than mere watts -- my Wharfedales do not present a tough load with paper woven composite 10 inch cast woofers and horn tweeters.

What you merely need to do is try the amp with the speakers - Audio note's speakers are designed for their amplifiers and what you will find is that there is more to the game than sensitivity and even impedence in that what you may want to know is where is the impedence dip and dive and where is it more sesitive and not -- how will it react? I heard an 11 watt Set drive B&W N801s and it drove it better than I have ever heard the N801 driven -- I could not play loud but I could play well...Unfortunately due to the sheer cost of the amplifier -- the combo was not worth it in the end because i like to play reasonably loud from time to time,

My amp is rated at between 6-10 watts SE -- the 10 watt figure have been tld is about the maximum for the EL84 tubes run in SEP as they are.

As for THD 10% does sound high byut so what - listen to it -- UHF favourably reviewed an ampifier that measured 80% THD and trashed an amp with phenomenally low THD -- My pioneer was unlistenable garbage and had great numbers -- probably better than any amp I've owned. So far the best amps I've heard have all been SE variaty -- their numbers don;t look as perty but then they sell the music not the spec sheet -- if you want the spec sheet shop at Sears because the worst cd player from Yorx will have a THD that is below any audible limnit -- and if Jitter were a big deal it WOULD AFFECT THD but jitter is so inaudible that even bad players are mere BLIPS on the radar as it were. So clearly whatever is being measured is not what is important tothe listening sessions.

Frankly, the odds are you won't be able to hear an Auio Note product in your area so none of this is going to matter -- The AX Two is in your price range and can easily be driven with low powered amplifiers -- or high powered ones -- and sounds great -- they may not to you of course but they meet the criteria you laid down. So will others Klipsh, pretty much anything using a horn.

[kexodusc]

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[Geoffcin]

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That's pretty lofty!

[kexodusc]

That's pretty lofty!

Thanks...I think...this just means I had waaaayyy too much time on my hands...having a few months in between career moves didn't hurt either...