Efficient speaker: Zu, Tekton, Volti, Klipsch, Fleetwood?


We’re moving and I’m looking for a high-efficiency, high impedance speaker that can fill a very large “great room” with smooth, open, detailed sound, both for serious listening and casual background music. I currently have Devore Super 9s, but those will be going in a separate dedicated listening room. I thought about getting another pair of Devores (maybe the O/93) for the great room because I love this brand, but I’m interested in other possibilities The new speakers will be on either side of a 6-foot TV console, so they’ll need to sound good fairly close to the wall behind them. And they will need to have a reasonably good WAF. They will be played mainly at low-moderate sound levels and our tastes include rock, classical, world music and “spa” type relaxation stuff.

Anyone who is familiar with any of the following candidates, please feel free to sound off. As you can see, price ranges are all over the place:

Zu Soul Supreme

Tekton Lore

Volti Razz

Klipsch Forte IV

Fleetwood Deville

Others?

128x128ladok

There is pair 096 on audimart but look like they get in fight with axe murder.

Thanks tsushima. I've been "up" the Devore line and my favorite is the Super 9, which I plan to keep. What is it about the Zu sound that attracts you? What would you say are the weaknesses?

Hi Bradf. My current room is 19 by 15, I found the Super 9s sound best along the long wall, about 31-37 inches from the back wall (to the back of the speaker). They are 7 feet apart which means there's lots of space on the sides, and I found it helps to keep each speaker a different distance from the side wall to help balance out room bass nodes. My ears are about 9 feet from the plan of each speaker. Your room should be a great size for the Super 9s, they are not difficult to place. Also, most reviewers found they sound best firing straight ahead instead of toe-in, I tend to agree, but it's fun to experiment.

I would guess the same weaknesses of the DeVores (If you feel they exist):

1. Very sensitive: Any noise in your system will be more apparent.

2. Revealing: Any changes like interconnects will reveal differences more, poor recordings will sound poor, great recordings will sound great

3. Myself, never enough bass. Unless one gets a speaker with a big honkin' 12-15 woofer, I will always want more bass. That is why I run a sub. I could have $100,000+ Wilsons and would add a sub. It's not just a ZU thing. 

The O96s that @tubebuffer mentioned sold in one day despite prior delivery by Bender at Planet Express.

They were located right around the corner from me, and I've got to admit I was tempted as I ponder my chances of moving to a space too small to keep the beloved Soundlabs. First world problems! Cheers,

Spencer