2. speakers
  3. 170055-165813

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
ctpdx OP
6 posts
 
Thanks for the input, @soix , @chorus, and @steve59 !
I've seen the LSA speakers on the Underwood site, but haven't heard them - or know anyone who has.  Glad that they work well for you!  I'll have to take a look at their options.
As for Sonus Faber, I've been looking into used options, and they seem to really hold their value, which is a good sign!  That holds true to my wife, as well, who has definitely appreciated in value, over the years.  :-).  Perhaps there will be a match, there...
And Steve59, that Dali is gorgeous!  Love the clean lines on it - and we do have some Danish-inspired MCM living room furniture, so I should look to see if they have some speakers that don't stand quite so tall.  The DWs were (IIRC) ~38", and that was a bit much for our room.  Those Oberons are 48", so that'd be a tough sell.
And perhaps one upside of my low-grade tinnitus (thanks, loud rock shows!) is that I don't really notice the subtle differences between amps - or at least between the Marantz and Peachtree I have.  :-)

Out of curiosity, does anyone have experience with either the Tekton Lore Reference or Mini Lore?  The price point and general favorable reviews of both make for an intriguing option...but I haven't heard Tektons, before.

Thanks again! 
motokokusanagi
189 posts
 
Why not get bigger Totems? Larger drivers, more drivers, high senstivity; will give the same sound signature but more dynamics and higher SPLs.
ctpdx OP
6 posts
 
@motokokusanagi - I have my eye on a pair of used Totem Forest Signatures, but don't know if they'd be able to fill my room, or not.  I have no doubt they'd have the same/better detail and imaging as the Arros, but in those rare times I get to crank my tunes, I want speakers that can really rock - and not sure if the Forests are a "rock out" speaker.  If you've heard the Forests or any of the bigger Totems (within that ~$3k range), I'd love to hear your impression!
mofojo
2,184 posts
 
Tekton's are great rock speakers IMO. Very dynamic and easy to drive. Of course if your wife does not like the looks of the Zu I'm thinking she will absolutely hate the Tektons. 
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.
More to discover