Seeking speakers under $3K for 10x12 ft room and driven by 20wpc tube amp


I currently have a pair of Apogee Acoustics Centaur Minors driven by a new Black Ice integrated tube amp. The small but dedicated listening room means I’m doing near-field listening with me and the speakers forming a 6’ triangle. As you might expect, these speakers have terrific midrange but at 85dB sensitivity they are a bit difficult to drive and feel limited in dynamics. The room is acoustically treated.


I almost exclusively listen to small combo acoustic jazz and vocals and I’m seeking recommendations for something easier to drive and more dynamic that provides a more “palpable presence” of the musicians when played at louder levels. Prefer small floorstanders for aesthetics but not essential and preferably a brand where I might have a chance to audition them (I’m in SoCal). Also open to used (e.g. something like Wilson Cubs). TIA!

p.s. thanks for the Sonus faber suggestion.

ristretto

Fritz should work at 8 ohm and 88 db should be easy to drive. I'd love to recommend the Philharmonic BMR, but at 4ohm and 87 db it might not be the best fit....but it's a surprisingly great speaker for $2,200

Black Ocean Audio Nick Nacks. Unbelievable soundstage! Imaging, tone, clarity are way above this price point.  The fun factor will leave you beaming! I heard them just last night paired with some equally impressive 20w Apollo Dolos mono’s. 

@snookhaus  I will go with his recommendation  of a set of neat speakers.  I have a set up the line a bit in a home theater  that is a 50wpc nad receiver  I am sure your 20 watt tube amp would run hard against  a 50 watt solid state  amp. Also more money than your budget  unless you can find a used pair I have a set of rigalto  horn speakers from Germany  that are to dies for with a set 300b amp that has 2 300bs in parallel.  So 14 watts I believe.  Much bigger room and pure perfection mids and highs and still acceptable  in the base. I also have a melody  88h made in Australia  amp with Sophia  tubes that run a set of harbeth sh5 speakers with ease. That is a forty watt integrated.  Also have a set of equation  25s run with a pair of line magnetic 124a  mono blocks that is also very good in a small room. At 10watts. Tbey fall om there face when i set it to triode and they put out 1.5 watts those speakers are too hard of drive. My big system  has a solid  state power that I have never tried  anything it could not drive with out ease. So I under stand  what a system  without enough power sounds like. Any of the above recommendation s I think you would be happy with. 

 

Regards