High efficiency speakers for Shindo


I recently bought a Shindo Aurieges pre and think that a total revamp of my system is now in order. After doing some research it seems that the best match for the pre is, surprise, surprise a Shindo tube amp. Since I'm on a budget, the entry level Montille is most realistic, its a flea powered 15 wpc push pull. I'm thinking that this won't do with my Gershman Avant Garde's which are a rather inefficient 87 dB, so I may have to trade em in.

But I do love the Gershmans for their great bass response and silky mids. Can anyone suggest a high eff speakers (say 90+ dB) that would mate well with the Shindos and also give me good bass slam so that I won't regret selling the Gershmans. My basement room measures about 13' x 20' but with a 6' ceiling. I listen to a huge range of music - classical chamber music, jazz, indie rock, electronic, everything from Albeniz to Zappa.

Speakers that I've been considering are Audio Note, Living Voice, Ref 3A. Others have suggested single driver speakers like the Omega which are intriguing, but can they really rock out? I'd like to keep it below $5K used. Any other suggestions or thoughts on what would be a good fit?
mikeyc8
Audio Note A/N E is a great match with any SET gear. Shindo is wonderful sounding equipment and the A N are high on my list. I have a pair and for the first time in a long while I am not searching for "something" else. I am driving them with an AN Oto as well as a Don Allen 300B with his matching preamp. I switch around a bit.
A 15 watt tube amp is not going to work with the Gershmans. I've heard 30 and 40 watt tubes with the Gershman Avantgarde, and they don't work either. They can't control that "mass loaded" woofer with the ring on it.
At lower volumes, you're okay, but if the music has a lot of deep bass in it or if you have to play loud, that woofer flops around like crazy, exaggerating and muddying the bass.
I own a pair of KCS Oris 150 horns, a seriously good producer of beautiful music for the discerning listener.
Mickey, some more suggestions:

- Cain Abbys for single drivers (and you can listen to them at my place)
- Possibly the Cain&Cain WWW (designed by Gordon Rankin)
- Klipsch La Scala (Rick has a pair that you can listen to)
- Altecs
- Herron Audio used to make some nice speakers and these have nice bass
- Soliloquy
- Living Voice

Overall i think there will be some sacrifice in the bass when switching to low powered amps (except if you get a powered subwoofer). I would try to talk to the Shindo dealers as well. Don at Don better audio used to run Cain&Cain and would have some suggestions. And there is a Solovox of sale in Michigan that should be a good fit.

Rene