Looking to buy some high sensitivity bookshelf speakers

Just because it has a higher sensitivity rating doesn't mean it will be a quality sound nor even reach very loud levels. You might check this thread for some ideas and info....although most speakers there are outside of your budget you may have to rethink your budget in any case. http://www.avsforum.com/t/1387083/list-of-reference-level-high-sensitivity-spl-speakers

There isn't a lot of high sensitivity bookshelf speakers in your budget range. There is no way that BIC bookshelf is anywhere near 96 dB sensitivity. Chase Home Theater has some but they are more expensive than the Klipsch, but they are true high sensitivity speakers. Pi speakers also offer some high sensitivity speakers but they are a bit above your budget range as well.

That's because it's not a 96dB sensitive speaker. They are posting a phony SPL spec that's based on the sensitivity of the horn loaded tweeter. Accurate SPL specs are based on the woofer sensitivity. With consumer grade woofers that will run between 85 and 90dB, with 87dB being the average. With dual woofers sensitivity can be between 88 and 93dB. Claims for more than that are BS, pure and simple. That includes Klipsch, who pull the same charade as BIC.

To get true high sensitivity the woofer must be horn loaded and/or it must be a high sensitivity pro-sound woofer. Klipsch Heritage products do have high sensitivity for that reason. If the woofer is a pro-sound woofer but not horn loaded its high sensitivity is realized at the cost of low end extension. So if you see a direct radiator woofer cab rated for 98dB with 40Hz extension it's probably a BS spec. If it's rated for 98dB with 70Hz extension then it's probably accurate.

Are you planning on utilizing a subwoofer with these bookshelfs? I have a pair of RB-61 ii's that I received last week and I put them in my front soundstage while I waited for my RF-82 ii's to arrive. I would definitely want a subwoofer if you are going to be using them for HT use, but the RB-61's definitely sound very clear as long as you don't mind the horn sound.

Chase has an M-1 at a very attractive price, $125 each. They are relatively high efficiency and will play pretty loud. The size may not work for you as they are 18.3" X 6.9" X 6.6". http://www.chasehometheater.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5570

You're asking a lot from a speaker in this price range.

Bottom line, you can't trust any SPL spec that's not backed up by a measured response chart. If the spec is accurate then the manufacturer should be prominently, and proudly, displaying a chart. If there's no chart it's either because they don't have one, or they don't want you to see it.

Yeah, but you still have to have a basis for the rating, sensitivity ratings are not equal just because they cite a "dB" number. At what voltage/wattage/ohm combo are we talking? Anechoic? In room? What? One guys 96dB rating may only compare to another's 85 for all you know and have posted...

Then there's that it may not get much louder cleanly at that rating...i.e. it doesn't mean that that speaker can get up to reference levels just because the sensitivity rating is high to begin with....

Not really, you still need a basis of measurement, otherwise it's a garbage number. It's like the "watts" advertised for avr's....it's the turds in marketing that promote this kind of bs and should be beaten to a pulp for doing so (and somewhat anyone who would simply take them for gospel...they need some beatings too)

tvuong, these JTR Single 8HT's show the sort of thing required to get (close) to your performance goal. In this case an 8" coaxial with 1" compression driver. Blows the whistle on your budget by a long way. Perhaps look for these on the used market?

[Bill: Comments on the claimed sensitivity? No measurements that I could find.]


Can a coaxial (or other drivers) of that ^ quality be bought for <$200? I don't know... just wondering.

The standard of measurement that's existed for a half century or so is half-space anechoic. It may not be the best method, but it's the standard, and so long as everyone does it the same way you are always comparing apples to apples. There are instances where an in-room measurement with specific placement is of value, especially with subs, but that doesn't apply to tops.
As far as I'm concerned no chart, no sale. Any hobbyist with a PC, an $80 mic, measuring freeware and a back yard can take very accurate measurements. There's absolutely no excuse for a manufacturer not doing so. http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-500
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=290-525

^ Thanks for that Bill. ^

This seems like it should be true but it's not necessarily. Sensitivity (96db for example) should measure how many decibels a speaker will produce at a given power input, usually measured in volts. It doesn't tell you if the speaker will produce 100db no matter how much power you feed it. There are speakers rated at <90db that are capable of producing >120db given enough power and speakers rated at 95db that could not produce 100 db no matter how much power you feed them.

Back yard?

I can sell you my rear speakers that are high sensitivity but need a sub, all high sensitivity speakers need subs. There are the BFM W8's prototype built by Bill. I am moving some DR's back there.

For my part just meant in this case is it needs some confirming basis, in your words:

Th advantage to the 2.83v rating is that you'll get an apples to apples comparison of how two speakers will compare driven by the same amp, as the output capability of amps is voltage limited. But if you have adequate headroom it's not all that important. The main reason why manufacturers rate a 4 ohm cab at 2.83v is that it will give a 3dB higher reading than 1 watt/2.0v, and that's purely a marketing tool.

If you happen to have an anechoic chamber handy you can measure your speakers in it. If not you can use a back yard that allows you to take a measurement at least 30 feet from any buildings or walls. That's also anechoic. Chambers are used where going outdoors is impractical. Danley Sound Labs does their measuring in their parking lot.
What don't you understand?

There is nothing outside of DIY that will fill that order that I know of. You are asking for high sensitivity in a small cabinet for cheap, that just isn't going to happen. If you raise your height requirement to 19" you can get some Chase Pro-10s.

id suggest the fusion 8 as you already looked into

i have 2 of them that are almost built

http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/fusion-series-kits/fusion8-kit.html

the Minion would also work but be slightly more expensive

http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/alpha-series-kits/alpha8-kit.html

Ill let you know when i finish them, hopefully ill get to it this weekend, all i really need to do is the xover. and you dont need much for tools besides clamps, glue and a soldering iron if you go with the the full kit from the site

you prob dont even need clamps, you could glue them together with tape

Did you know you can turn the Sho-10/Pro-10/MS-10 on their sides so they are only about 12" tall. They will sound the same on their sides as upright.