Single-driver speakers for 2W 45 SET monoblocks

What do you not like/not like about the Druids? I would speculate there are very few, if any, choices in that price range that would do significantly better across the board. The main difficulty is finding balanced sound in a 100+ db package is really tough, doing so at $3k will be difficult or impossible, depending on how far down you want the bass to go.

I used to run my Druids with 6 watts of battery-powered Tripath juice, I hadn't discovered SETs yet when I had them. That amp was great with the Druids, but I've heard they do appreciate additional headroom. I'd love to hear them some time with a KT88 or 845 amp.

Going with something Lowther-based would be subjectively faster but probably less weighty. Horns are an option, but I don't know of any 100+ db choices that would fit under $3k and you may not like horns anyway.

Going to a powered bass system is a great way to do it but of course that adds complexity. I run my Yamamoto A-08s 45 amp from about 65 hz up to Zu Definition Pros, with a Crown K2 on the subs. This combination will serve literally any music at loud and uncompressed volumes. The transition between main speakers and subs can be very smooth too.

I love the path you're on. Good low-powered SETs are like no other audio experience. The amps are there, and I'll be very excited to follow your journey with speaks.

Mike

I had some Dared monos - but they were 300Bs. They didn't last a week, sounding muffled and mushy. I've heard others say that some of the Dareds are very nice and maybe yours are better.

My aural memory is fading with the Druids since I haven't heard them since I upgraded mine to Definitions 18 months ago. My recollection is that the overall midrange tonality was very good but not quite as fast as my single driver Fostex 206E bass reflex boxes. Those have paper cone 8" drivers and are blindingly fast. However, they also are peaky and very limited in output.

With the Definitions, midrange tone is exemplary though I have mine running about 3 db down through the presence band, around 1khz to 3 khz. Since the same drivers in a different configuration definitely work well, I'd say it isn't merely the 10" midrange that's disturbing your perceptions.

The higher up you go in efficiency, linearity gets increasingly difficult to achieve. To find a smooth sounding speaker with frequency extension is fairly easy for 50-watt compatibility. To do so with 2-watt compatibility . . .

I'd try some different amps just to ensure it's not an amp/speaker communication problem. Zu speakers are definitely chameleons to the amps (and other ancillaries) paired with them so maybe the match just isn't good.

Or, maybe they're just not for you. High-eff speakers are almost by their nature idiosyncratic. It's possible you'll find something else whose quirky personality is more agreeable.