Requesting help choosing my first floor-standing speakers

[davide256]

You may not get any satisfaction until you replace the amp.. the quality of the design matters and there are a lot of inexpensive amps with no "toe tapping" engagement, even if you spend a lot on the speaker.

 

Consider a NAD C316BEE V2 if the Polk doesn't float your boat, pretty sure it can breath new life into the Klipsh you already have. Bought one for my son, worked well with both the KEF LS50's and my Magnepan 1.7's, not as solid in the bass as the Hafler I use but good mid range and sparkle in the treble.  And unlike the 1985 NAD 3020 I had, the buttons don't fire off into space.

 

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_745C316V2/NAD-C316BEE-V2.html?tp=34948

 

Low bass is expensive, requires watts and good drivers. If you like the Klipsch an active  REL subwoofer might be a more certain path.

[davide256]

20 hours ago, Smaug1 said:

 

Well, take a look at the specs on my Onkyo; I assure you, it's no slouch. It's not a mass market A/V receiver:

https://www.crutchfield.com/p_580A9050/Onkyo-A-9050.html

 

• It has 0.08% THD vs. 0.03% on the NAD (NAD and Yamaha seem to be class-leading, here)
• It has 110 dB signal:noise vs. 100 on the NAD
• It's almost twice as powerful as the NAD

The speakers sound great. Plenty of bass; I need to turn it down sometimes from the "straight through" setting with certain types of music. I guess home theater guys want harder hits, but I don't need it, even with thumping bass music. 

What you are saying reminds me of the naivete I had in the 70's and 80's buying Pioneer and Yamaha gear.

Amps drive real life loads and the quality of the design and speaker match  determines whether the sound is life like or just another "hifi" wannabe experience.

Reading some of the articles on Nelson Pass's site may give you some insight into the actual factors that come into play mating an amp to a speaker.

 

https://www.firstwatt.com/