Have you found your "End-Game" speakers yet? I have. And it feels so good!!!

@rbrannen "Legacy Audio Focus XD. Thoroughly happy and content. Along with the Wavelet 2 DSP/EQ. I auditioned multiple speaks and for the price point (15k] there are simply no other contenders to get me where I wanted to be. "

I am exactly in the same position as you, I recently purchased a set of Focus XD’s and then a few weeks later the Wavelet II. As I am retired and 69 this was the last speaker purchase i will be able to afford, and it was a good one! Works well with my tube amp on top.

Spatial Audio X4 ultras.  Open baffle does it for me, cant go back to a box.

@mahgister "ENDGAME  means that we are so happy passing this threshold of MINIMAL  acoustic satisfaction  when acoustic problems are solved..."

I could not agree with you more! I worked my way through Magnepan 1.7 and 3.6 (when I did not understand current versus power) and Thiel 3.6 and CS5i (when I discovered room treatments and matching speaker size to available space).

It seems I value dynamics, soundstage, and nuance; and have made the move to more efficient speakers where I can try a variety of lower power ss and tube amps. I rotate Klipsch Forte iv's and Zu Soul Sixes every few months and it has been a positive experience dealing with different speakers and amps at the same time.  

My listening space is not symmetrical and the Soul Sixes were relatively easy to place. They are equal distance from my listening seat. The Fortes, not so much.

Last night I started over with the Fortes and think I finally got a decent soundstage with them. The right speaker is 18 inches from the side wall and 24 inches from the front wall. The left speaker is 30 inches from the front wall with a large opening to its left side. Finally got good decay and some depth of field. So how can I improve the room to enhance the soundstage?

Are these speakers end game? I do not think so, but it is a long process and hard to figure out what an upgrade might be.

I do know that I will not go back to inefficient speakers with large amps. For my ears, more efficient speakers are the ticket because I hear more sound and less of the speaker and power amp.

Thanks for listening! 

time is on my side: every day I am closer to my end game speakers (or it will be what I have :) )

Thanks it is a pleasure to be understood ...

Just a precision the minimal acoustic satisfaction threshold exist for all speakers at any price ... Because room acoustics problems are not theoretical problems only but are related to each type and each design of speakers, nevermind the price ... The acoustic problem of a speakers/room relation is not solved the same way for all type of speakers, nor for all size, nor for all price of speakers ...

To go to the maximal acoustical satisfaction threshold , not only  physical acoustics but  psycho-acoustics measures are necessary  and  we need DSP as the BACCH filters, also we need  mechanical control of vibration/resonance and  we need a control over the electrical noise floor levels in the house/room/system pieces...

There is not a crowd there passed this maximal acoustical threshold of satisfaction ... It is less about cost in money than knowledge... For sure a top system cost more than mine ... Even if i am happy with the minimal acoustical satisfaction threshold ( the adjective "acoustical" here refer to acoustic(s) in the plural not to mere room acoustic ) .

I wish you the best for christmas and for your audio journey...

😊

@mahgister "ENDGAME means that we are so happy passing this threshold of MINIMAL acoustic satisfaction when acoustic problems are solved..."