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Looking for suggestions for a new (to me) pair of high efficiency monitors

Hi,

I’m looking to change out my Legacy Studio HD monitors for something more efficient. The Legacy’s are fine speakers and have served me well, but you all know the drill—time to try something new for the fun of it after several years..

I presently run a Bob Latino VTA ST120 amp. Not a lot of power, but nice sound for not a lot of $$.

No preamp, Mac-mini running Audivana out to my Bryston DAC, which puts out plenty of signal directly into the VTA 120 to drive to full power.

The Legacy’s are rated at 93 dB at 4ohms I believe—interested in getting opinions for alternative high efficiency and detailed monitors. Lost a fair amount of upper freq hearing over the years, in fact I have to wear hearing aids that help hear above 7khz, so mellow mid- and treble doesn’t do it for me. Even so largely listen to acoustic jazz, vocals and lately a smattering of opera. Rarely rock or full range orchestral. 

Thanks in advance!
jsl1234

Showing 5 responses by willemj

willemj
1,036 posts
 
None of the LS3/5a type speakers are efficient. Of the modern incarnations, the Harbeth P3ESR in particular is glorious, and far better than the original. If the OP has little hearing above 7 kHz, no speaker will compensate. He might benefit from some tone control implemented on the MacMini, however. If his audiologist can supply a frequency curve for his hearing ability, he could download that into an equalizer program on the MacMini. But be careful not to destroy the tweeters.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
I am real sorry about the hearing loss (and worry about young people and their headphones).
I fail to understand how a separate pre amplifier can improve the sound (other than by having tone controls). Pre amplifiers once were necessary to bring the various analogue sources to the same level. If you only use digital sources there is no longer any need for this. A DAC with variable output like various Benchmark models (or the Marantz HD DAC1 or Pioneer U-05 at a more modest price level) will do the job just fine. If your DAC does not have a variable output, add an outboard volume control like the TC Level Pilot, or just use the digital volume control in the computer or disc player like the Oppo 205.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
By all means use an LS3/5a type speaker in a small room like this. However, the modern Harbeth P3ESR is much better than the original LS3/5a (I have both).
willemj
1,036 posts
 
The later improved version of the LS3/5a was 11 Ohm. The modern Harbeth P3ESR is 6 Ohm and easy to drive. It likes a bit of power, but cannot handle too much of it. The ones in my 18 sq m study are driven by a 2x100 watt Quad 405-2 and that is fine, but more would be dangerous.
willemj
1,036 posts
 
Could you explain why the e.g. 2.0 V out of a source becomes a different kind of 2.0 V when it leaves the pre amp?
I agree that anaemic tube amps are never a good idea. However, this room is only 10x12 feet. I use a 2x100 watt rms at 8 Ohm Quad 405-2 into my P3ESRs (i.e. some 130 watt into their 6 Ohm), in an 18 sq m room, and that is fine. It will not bring down the walls, but no small speaker ever will.
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