RelaxWithPep wrote:

I live in a small one-bedroom apartment in Chicago (in the classic Chicago six-flat), with neighbors and thin walls. I am trying to pick out a pair of bookshelf speakers in the $800 - $1500 range. Would sealed speakers like the NHT Classic 3 be kinder to the neighbors and/or in general better suited an older apartment space than ported speakers like the KEF LS 50? I'm assuming the speakers will end up close to a wall for best sound, when I finally get them. I listen to jazz, 20th-century classical, guitar-based jangle pop, blues, soul, the occasional girl singer, and deep house chill-out music. No rap, no hip hop, no heavy metal, so I don't need tons of bass. Music streamed from the computer is my main source, plus some CDs, and I never play it loud. I already have the amp: Peachtree Nova 65SE. Your advice is much appreciated.

Sealed vs ported speakers is a non-issue, really, for your case.

The NHT Classic 3 is an excellent speaker, however, and the nice thing about a sealed (unported) speaker is that you can place it anywhere with minimal interaction with the surroundings.

The downside of those speakers is their low sensitivity, which is characteristic of sealed speakers. This means you tend to need a bit more amplifier power. For a small apartment, however, you should have enough power with that amp.