Best speakers for a small room? 10'X14'

Thought I'd post an update. Was thinking very seriously about the TC-50's, but only found one posting for a pair here on AudiogoN and the seller never replied to my message. Plus the condition of them was not very good which made me hesitant to begin with. I could always wait, but I really want to get my system going again for some listening sessions over the holidays.

I was also very interested in the recommendation for Totem Arros. I really needed to sell my speakers before buying something else (don't want family strife before Xmas!) but found two tremendous deals here on the AudiogoN that I tried to buy them even w/o selling my Hales. Well, they were both such good deals that they were already sold!

I posted my Hales Concept Twos on this site and didn't receive much in the way of interest. Because they're so heavy, I had to list them for local sale only. I decided to drop the price and advertise for sale or trade for a pair of monitors.

I got a couple of very nice offers but have decided on a pair of Aerial Acoustics Model 5s. I had actually listened to these at Bay Area Audio in San Jose the day before I got the trade offer (talk about coincidence) and was VERY pleased. They're a sealed enclosure and don't have a tremendous amount of bass response so I think they'll work very nicely in my small room. They've got a buttery midrange which I LOVE (kind of like the Spicas) and also have a very extended upper range w/o being too forward at all. Needless to say, I'm excited about making the trade and getting them hooked up.

I'm scheduled to pick them up in Oakland on Tuesday evening, so I'll post again later in the week with m final thoughts.

Thank you all very much for your input. I value your opinions and am glad to have a group of "virtual friends" with whom to share this fantastic hobby.

Good listening and warm holiday wishes to you and your families!

Kindly,

Dan Hirschler

After I posted this, I noticed an ad for a demo pair of Magnepan MG12's for $800. Would they work in my small room? How do they sound compared to the 1.6QR (which I like very much, btw)??

Thanks again.

Thanks everybody. There are some great suggestions so far, some of which I'm familiar with and others that I've been researching as you recommend them.

I've always had a fondness for the Spica's and have often thought about buying them just because they can be had so inexpensively. Unfortunately, I just missed out on an auction for a pair of TC-60s (I'm guessing they're as good if not better than the 50s although I've heard conflicting views on this.)

I'm very intrigued by the Totems and have been researching them today. I have heard the Model 1 and liked them very much. I think I've ruled out the Maggies by virtue of the fact that they're so placement sensitive that I'm not sure I want to hassle with them. I don't think there'll be enough room to get them away from the wall since I have to place the speakers on the longer wall.

The other two speakers that I'm researching/considering are several Thiels (.5, 1.5 and 2.2 or 22 - thanks bose). I've heard the .5 and 1.5 and prefer the 1.5 although the .5's seem to disappear a little better. I've heard the 2.3's which are out of my price range, but have not heard the 22's. I know that they're a three-way and wonder if they might be a bit much for the room size. Finally, I've been trying to gather more information about the Audio Physic Step. I've never heard any of the AP line but am impressed by the favorable press. Anyone have experience with these? I see that they're very inefficient, but that shouldn't be a problem considering the room size and the amount of power that I have at my disposal.

Keep the suggestions coming! Maybe this small room isn't such a bad thing afterall. I'll keep you posted.

Any of you guys looking to sell your Spicas??? The soundstage that they throw is addictive! I guess the reason that I mentioned the rear port is that I had a pair of Platinum Audio Solos that had to be VERY far from the rear wall because of the amount of energy coming from their rear ports. Now that you mention it Joekras, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Guess I was just thinking out loud, as it were.

I've also found a great deal on a pair of Dunlavy SCIs with stands for $650. I know that Dunlavy is very reputable, but I've never had the opportunity to audition any of their products. Anyone have any experience with these?

Finally, does anyone have any feedback about the Thiel 22s? Would they be too much for a room this small?

Thanks again!