High Efficiency Speakers Your top 3 or more

Tvad,

I've been interested in trying high efficiency horns primarily based on fun factor as well as being at the other end of the design spectrum from everything I run currently.

The CAR speaks with the field coil drivers must be absolutely fantastic (and expensive), perhaps without comparison in certain ways.

When the time comes, I'll be wading into these waters to see how it feels before going for a major plunge!

WAF is a major inhibitor for me with these high efficiency horns because I would like to target them into my wife's sunroom where the Dynaudio monitors sit relatively unobtrusively today.

Very informative thread here!

Thanks for all the responses.

I admit the Tonians, Coincidents, and Audio notes were high on my list when I started this thread. Thanks for chiming in on those TVAD and Paulfolbrecht.

There is definitely something special about the Audio Notes but they're certainly not cheap. The pair I heard were like $50k retail. But it sure seems like a lot of people end there after trying around. However I'm guessing the Tonians have a lot of similarities to the Audio Notes and they are considerably cheaper.

It seems like there are a lot of other companies flying under the radar which is what I was hoping to hear about. I feel like there is a small resurgence in high efficiency designs going on.

There have been at least a few suggestions I have not heard of before, and a lot I've never heard.

A few people chimed in 92db is not efficient and I agree but I figured it was the bottom end of what any sane audiophile could classify as efficient. I had to pick some bottom threshold so there it is.

The Audio Note AN-E/SPe HE speakers I heard at RMAF and eventually purchased have a frequency response of 17Hz-22KHz (-6dB) and start at $7500 in the standard finishes.

From my research into Tonian speakers, including emails with Tony, his models with similar frequency response cost about the same or more. The Classic 12.1 for example (32Hz-40KHz), I believe retails for over $12k (someone please correct me).

The Tonian TL-D1 that everyone considers a bargain, have a frequency response of 42Hz-40KHz. Limited bass response.

Be certain when comparing prices, you compare speakers with apples-to-apples specs.

Classic Audio Repro, Sonist, Coincident...i do think we are on the right track...happy listening

You are correct on Tonian. The 12.1 w/ copper voice coils are $11,900.

I'm totally lost on the Audio Note models and prices. I just can't make heads or tails of them. perhaps I'll call Audio Federation which is who displayed them at RMAF. It seems like the base models are fairly affordable and the high end model is the same basic speaker with upgraded parts. I can't imagine what they could do though to add $40,000 though. Even Tony's PHY drivers, which are some fairly expensive around, can be had at Madisound for a few thousand each.

I thought that model they had at RMAF was the same one I heard at their showroom which they told me was $50k+. They must have brought something else. Every time I was in their room at RMAF they were blaring rock music to show how well they can do rock music. That really turned me off and sent me moving on. If I wanted to play rock music I sure wouldn't be looking at Audio Notes. :)