What next for a Volti Lucera based system

I have had similar experience as you regarding speakers. Magnepan Tympani 1D, Thiel CS 3.6, Dunlavy SC IV, etc etc For the last couple of years I have been focusing on a Pair of Altec A7 that have similar attributes as your Lucera (which are in my wishlist). I have driven them with high power SS, Class D, flea watt Decware tube amp, 300B and now First Watt SIT4. I just added a Pass Labs XP20 preamp and I am loving it. It looks like the XP22 is in your budget. That is what I would do in your situation. 

I think the LTA would offer more transparency and immediacy that may work well given what you’re looking for (I own the MZ2 w/ upgraded LPS BTW), and they offer a trial period that’d be a great thing to take advantage of.  Best of luck. 

@dsper 

Definitely check out the Cary Audio SLP-05 2 chassis amp.  The higher than usual gain it has is perfect for juicing up the lower gain amps like First Watt- it was an absolutely perfect combination with my Pass XA25 which had only 20 db gain.  6SN7 based, tube rectifier that responds well to NOS rolling, the sound is phenomenally dynamic, class A triode clean and just enough euphonics to make it a sweet keeper. 

Before you buy anything new, I would experiment with some other speaker placement options, such as a foot here, a few inches there, more toe in, further from the wall, etc. I would also contact Greg Roberts and speak with him about your concerns. What is the "break in" time for the Luceras? This should not be, ime. BTW, I do not agree that the Altec A7 is similar sounding to the Lucera. All horns have similar characteristics to one another, which is why I, and many others, lean towards horns, but these two are quite different from one another. Just my 2 cents. MrD.

And you'd be back with another request as to why your new preamp isn't giving you said soundstage. Not trying to be a downer but preamp for soundstage seems a bit much for me when room treatment is a bigger audible factor change than any gear purchase ever would be but hey that's my singular annoying opinion

Before assuming the Volti’s are fully broken in, I’d drive them hard with your most powerful solid state amp, playing pink noise and bass heavy music loudly for at least 50 hours, preferably when everyone is out of the house (at work or running errands).   I’ve run into this on more than one occasion with gently used speakers that sounded so/so, until they were properly broken in.   I streamed pink noise, bass heavy tracks and The Pixies Doolittle.

Thank you for all of your comments and feedback.

Speaker break-in and placement should remain my top priorities right now. Very good advice. You would think I would know better after all of these years.

My room is asymmetrical so my speakers always end up not mirroring one another. Having said that, Greg recommends starting with the speakers close to the back wall equidistant from the listening chair and angled to cross in front of the listening position...

I started there and had walked them out into the room about a foot and experimented with toe on. I am going to start over again and see what i might have missed. The initial recommendation seemed to produce the most bass.

Thanks all!

I own the DS2 preamp and if you aren’t satisfied with your soundstage, look elsewhere. Speaker and listener placement would reap the best results here.

I have the XP-12, Sit-4 with the Volti Razz…nothing boring about the sound…dead quiet preamp compared to all the tube preamps I had in the past..leave it on and forget the preamp with the display off too..

I see Jon at Refined Audio has a used XP-12 preamp for $3800 on his site under used and demo..a great guy to work with, that’s where I buy all my Pass and First watt…

I love my Pass XP-12 with my system….I have the Forte IVs also at first I would hook them up to compare, good for about two song, then I would go back to the Razz to get that big smile on my face..took a lot of experimenting to get here..