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

I own both the Tekton Lore and the Lore Reference.

I bought the Reference because the Lore was on backorder.

Just needed something to listen to, not expecting much.

I was totally impressed with them but also thinking I would sell the Reference when the larger Lore showed up.

When the bigger Lore arrived it was a totally different speaker.

I liked them equally for different reasons.

I find myself switching from one to the other and will not get rid of either pair now.

I am also in the market for a new pair of high sensitivity / high-flat impedance curve speakers with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms or greater. 1st order crossover, highly dampened woofer, etc.

I'm researching Devore Super 9's and Coincident Super Victory III.

Anyone owning or hearing either (or similar), would appreciate your input.

My current speakers are Sonist Concerto 4, Genertaion 2, driven by 30 Watt P/Pull Class "A" (mostly) EL34 (Ars Sonus Filarmonia,  with Jupiur Copper Foil / Bees Wax coupling caps)

Front baffles of speakers are approx 5' from front wall, 9' apart tweeter to tweeter, 3' from side wall (center of tweeter to side wall.  I sit 10 to 12 feet from front baffle of speaker. Opens up to kitchen behind where I sit, about 22 feet to wall behind my seat.  So basically the entire area is 15' wide X 37' long, speakers on the narrower wall (15')

I have purchased a LTA ZOTL 40 Integrated W/ EL34 Mullard tube upgrade. The LTA will be the primary amp in the new set-up.

Other than what previously has been referenced above; your suggestion of a speaker other than the Devore and Coincident would be welcome.

Thnx

Brad

I’ve been running Zu Omen DWs for about 2yrs. Awesome value. Great build quality. Run them with a yaqin MC-13s (chfi push pull based on old Hafler circuit) running 38w into 8ohms. DWs are 98db efficient. My power meter rarely steps out beyond 10w. Great imaging, good soundstage, awesome dynamics for their price.
About 2 weeks ago I pulled the trigger on a set of Druid MkIV. Same front end. I’m still setting them up. Not as simple as the DWs. So far, I’m wildly impressed, and they keep getting better everyday. 101dB efficient. Crazy dynamics. Everything is just bigger and more lifelike. That said, I am contemplating a change in amp - mostly just to see what SETs or Class A SS has to offer.

Im sold on the high efficiency crossover less design of Zu and others mentioned in this thread. Haven’t heard or seen DeVore but I can say for certain that Tekton seems to puts the money into the drivers and less into the cabinet and finish. I wish Tekton would up the build game because they sound marvelous (and are made right there in UT).

Bradf I originated this post and mentioned I currently own the Devore Super 9s. They are the best speaker I've ever had in 40 years of high end audio, and I've owned about 20 brands. I previously had the 0/96 which I think are better overall, but the Super 9s were a better match for my room. The Super 9s disappear, throw an enormous soundstage, image precisely, and possesss excellent dynamics, scale, pace and timing. They don't go as deep in the bass or have as much low-end impact as the 0/96, but I find the bass very satisfying. They are SLIGHTY warmish on the neutrality scale but in a very lifelike way. Actually, that's the Devore trademark, a tonal balance that is very much like real performers in real space. And then, there is that hard-to-define quality, they just sound right.