B&W CM5GB (1 Viewer)

I was thinking about getting a pair of these to use for general stereo listening, such as at the computer, and was wondering what would be a good amplifier for them. I've heard their a bit innefficient, which brings me to a couple other concerns with them. At $1500 for a pair, are you paying strictly for quality, or is a good chunk of that going towards exoticism, ammortization, or the name? There seem to be few choices for retailers of this model, which makes it seem a little odd that Best Buy (a big box store) has them in the Magnolia section. I've listened to them a little but it's inconvenient to do in the store. The dime a dozen aluminum tweeter dome throws me a little. I hate the cheap, metallic sound this type gives in general. Also, how much better of a buy are they for the money versus the also highly regarded MartinLogan 4's that are much cheaper; I also like the electrostatic highs. Lastly, what is their optimum listening range, would the smaller CM1's be better for a 5 foot or less listening range? http://www.modia.com/ProductDetails.aspx?ProductCode=cm5gb&Show=techspecs Thanks.

Listen to a lot of speakers, and listen at around the 5ft range that you are asking about. That's the best way to find out what is going to work for you. Magnolia is the "high end" portion of Best Buy, but that isn't really saying much; they do have decent brands, but auditioning in their in-store rooms tends to be arduous at best. There's nothing wrong with aluminum tweeters, since it is all in the implementation, but if you don't like the way they sound, then don't buy them. I never liked ribbon tweeters until I heard a pair of well designed speakers recently that sounded excellent. I am partial to soft domes as well, so start with trying to find some with them first, but just because one has a metal dome doesn't mean you shouldn't listen to it.