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Need speaker suggestions for my evolving system!

Fair warning:  I'm a total newb - on this site & with audio gear - with a pretty decent (to me) budget and pretty tough WAF standards to meet.

My use case:
- Building a system for both music & tv/movies
- Living room is 17'w x 15'd, with 12' vaulted ceilings.
- Speakers on the 17' wall, facing a wall of windows
- The right side of the room (when looking at the speakers) opens to the dining room & kitchen.  So a pretty big space.
- Want speakers that can fill the room & rock out (my 9yr old likes impromptu dance parties), but also play well at low volumes, since that's when a lot of my listening happens. 

My journey, to date:
- Bought a used pair of Zu Dirty Weekends and LOVED them.  Full sound, super clear to me (coming from a soundbar, that's probably not saying much!), loads of bass even without a sub, and they could CRANK!
- Bought a used Marantz NR-1603 50wpc AV receiver to drive them.  Worked great!
- Wife was not at all happy with the DW's look (that 10" driver was a bit of a surprise), size (12" x 12" x "38), or color (deep, reddish Maple Sangria).  No matter how good they sounded, it was tough to get buy-in on them.
- Same hifi shop got a pair of used Totem Arros in cherry, which were a much better match in size & color.  I tried them out, and they sounded amazing at low-to-moderate volumes, especially with acoustic and vocal music.  I decided to keep them & sell the DWs.
- I love the Totem sound, and am still stunned by how clearly they create that broad soundstage!  It's like magic.
- But...they really struggle to fill the room - and don't seem to handle rock music very well, to my ears.
- Thinking that the Marantz was the issue, since it isn't rated for 4 ohm speakers, I splurged on a used Peachtree nova220se, which drives 350wpc at 4 ohm.  I figured that'd give them the boost they need.  I was wrong.
- With the Peachtree, low-volume listening is a bit fuller & clearer, which is great.  But I think the Arros just aren't made for rocking out - or at least not in a big room.  Perhaps their size & my basic understanding of physics should have made that connection.

So now I'm looking for suggestions on what I should consider, as replacements for the Totems, using the following criteria:
- Wood (maple, cherry) finish
- Small (< 38" tall, < 12" wide) form factor
- Capable of filling a room
- Similar imaging & clarity as the Totems (don't have much experience with other speakers)
- Priced ~$3k

There are some used Totem Forest Signatures I've had my eye on, and I saw that Zu is having a sale on their Soul Supremes ($3,700) which I might be able to make a case for.  But I haven't heard either.

Curious to hear what other speakers I should consider!

Thanks for the help!
ctpdx
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
I’ve heard Totems at shows and liked them a lot. Haven’t heard the Forest Sigs but to answer your question anyway, they’ll undoubtedly play louder and more comfortably than the Arros. Larger cabinet volume plus 6.5" vs 4.5" midwoofer means higher radiating area and more bass, 1" vs 0.75" tweeter allows higher power handling.

I’d say go for it if you find a good deal, cause the more important thing is the sound quality, which you already know you love with the Arros.

My only reservation is it’s still effectively a 6.5" 2-way speaker; the most popular modern speaker format there is, but prioritising a compact footprint, and ultimately limited by the (extension, excursion, sensitivity) capabilities of a single 6.5" driver.

A step up for room-filling sound is a speaker with bigger/more drivers, like a 2.5-way or 3 way, e.g. Dynaudio Evoke 50, Revel F208 format. From memory, Dynaudio sounds more similar to Totems, though they can be a touch laid back. Revels are further apart from the Dyn/Totem sound; more on the analytical side. I only mention them as examples more of an alternative speaker format to a 6.5" 2-way; that may suit larger rooms.
213cobra
885 posts
 
To the OP:

If you loved Zu ODWs, order a pair of Omen Mk II in the finish your wife will accept. There is a lead time for Omen orders to be fulfilled, but Zu will take orders because it's not a mass build. The ODW getting built in burst mode at scale just doesn't work in this supply chain problem the manufacturing world is dealing with, at a small company like Zu. Omen costs more than DW, but less than Soul Supreme, and it sounds clearly better than ODW. Spurge for a caps upgrade.

Now if you want to go for Soul Supreme, you'll get the greater harmonic pleasures of the Radian supertweeter, and a compact cabinet with a more precise implementation of Zu's Griewe acoustic impedance system. The sale price announced a few days ago seems pretty good.

Now, I have to add that if you are building for both music and home cinema, the Omen Def Supreme is really the speaker for your sonic objectives but may not pass spousal acceptance due to size. The dual-FRD arrangement significantly improves spatial scale for big movie soundtracks, while further improving resolution over a single driver Omen. However it is more expensive and larger than Soul Supreme. I have Definition 4 in one system and Druid 6 in another. I love each. But the cinema time is on the dual-FRD Def4 and that horizontal scale is the closest thing to multi-channel HT with only two speakers, which is great because you really only need two good channels for home cinema.

Anyway, you don't know when you're getting another chance to order ODW, but the next three up the chain can be ordered now.

Phil
ctpdx OP
6 posts
 
@mofojo - thanks for the Tekton recommendation!  The Mini & Reference Lore models look like they might get wife approval, especially since you can have them custom painted.  And they're both smaller than the Zu DWs.

@motokokusanagi - wow, I hadn't looked at the Dynaudios, before - they're beautiful!  The Evoke 30s are more the size that I'm looking for; I'm going to see if there are any nearby that I could demo.

@213cobra - I feel so dumb for being so focused on the DWs that I forgot the Omens!  They are definitely a better price point, and reading up on them it seems like Zu can even do a customized anodized driver ring, which might actually alleviate one of my wife's biggest complaints (she wasn't as enamored of the aluminum ring as I was...).  Definitely an option to explore, as I really did love the sound of the DWs.

My local shop is an authorized KEF dealer, and they recommended I try out the R5s.  I showed my wife a picture and, surprisingly, she thought they looked "ok" (high praise!).  Anyone have any experience with those KEFs?  

Again, thank you all for these responses!  Your informed input is very much appreciated!
audionoobie's avatar
audionoobie
357 posts
 
Imaging and soundstage is really good on the entire Kef R series. I find they lack bass. A good sub or two is almost required. 
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
KEFs don’t sound warm, IMO, though a lot of people like them for other reasons. Audition as many things as you can. Use the Arros as a benchmark. Ideally, take your amp along with you for demos, as pairing is a big factor.
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