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High value, high efficiency speakers for SET amps

Hi, Gang,
I know that some of what I want to discuss here has been dealt with in other threads, some of them quite old, but I wanted to see if any of you fine, knowledgable folks are willing to help update and consolidate some of this info in a more current thread.
I am currently running my new Audio Note Kit 1 300B SET amp with a pair of Reference 3A De Capo speakers. I think it's a fine pairing and I am really enjoying what the 300B SET experience brings to the table in terms of musicality and emotional connection.
Still the De Capo, while supposedly an easy load due to its crossover-less design (only 1 cap on the tweeter with the mid-woofer directly coupled to the amp), is "only" rated at 92 db efficient, and based on the most recent Canadian NRC specs, that rating may be optimistic.
So, I am toying with the idea of trying a pair of more efficient, deliberately SET-friendly speakers in my rig, something that might also play lower and with greater dynamic swing than the De Capo's. Note that the De Capo's have served me well and I am very fond of them, but I can't help but wonder if my lovely Kit 1 would shine even better coupled to a VERY easy to drive speaker.
Devore and Audio Note are obvious options - the O/96 looks really tasty. Unfortunately, both of those choices are out of my budget, which I'm thinking maxes out (for real) at around $1500. I am willing to consider used equipment.
Tekton Lore 2.0: This is the speaker that Eric Alexander of Tekton has recommended when we've spoken on the phone, based upon my medium-small listening room and amp. I've read the epic "Lore vs. Zu" thread elsewhere in this forum, and clearly Tekton has its enthusiastic fans here. What I wonder is whether the Lore 2.0 has the refinement of the De Capo in terms of resolution, sweet high end and imaging. Audiogon'er Mikirob has pointed me to the many rave reviews of Tekton's speakers and I'm definitely interested.
I've corresponded with the Sonist folks (who are super nice) but their really high-efficiency, nearly-full-range floor stander is out of my budget.
Then there's the "vintage" route, going after some used JBL's or other high-efficiency "classics" from the 80's (or '70's). I am not inclined to go in this direction, but mention it because it's been suggested to me.
And then there's Omega. I spoke to Louis some time ago and he recommended his 7XRS hemp cone model. But I know all the raps on single driver designs and I'm cautious, although I would like to hear from any of you who own or have owned Omega's.
I'm in no rush to make a switch but I am very interested in your thoughts. Thanks, folks!
rebbi
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,330 posts
 
If one widely elects to preserve their ears, its a good thing to in general not go louder than low 80s db volume. So that is not a bad limitation in practice necessarily ie one that is good for ones health.

But the flip side is that real music can be much louder than that and when the goal is to reproduce reality higher volumes are often required. This is part of the performance aspect of gear that I always talk about. Performance enables good sound but is not necessarily the same thing.

Unfortunately for me, I occasionally like to go louder when called for. Not often but on occasion. So its a limitation I am not able to live with currently.

Maybe someday as I continue to get older and mellower. :^)
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,330 posts
 
Zu Essence sounded very thin and lifeless at moderate volumes off a SET with rock music that requires some meat on teh bones to sound good IMHO when I heard them.

Just one audition but by Zu experts who admitted the amp used was underpowered for that kind of music. They were demoing acoustic jazz and such solely until I asked for something more challenging.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,330 posts
 
If I were Rebbi, I would try Tekton. Can't say how it will work out, but that is where I would start from what little I know.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,330 posts
 
REbbi,

One other thing I can recommend taht might help in any case is go with something where drivers can be/are located closer to teh floor perhaps with slight upward tilt for treble balance at your listening position. That will help get more bass out which is where the challenge will be. To accomplish this I would put the speakers on the floor but on a pair of Isoacoustic pro monitor stands. There are three different sizes for different size monitors to choose from. These will help to keep the bass clean along with the extra floor reinforcement. This was the magic sauce to get my little Triangles to finally perform optimally in my wife's acoustically challenged 12X12 sunroom with lots of windows and a cathedral ceiling. Similarly I put Auralex Subdude isolation platforms under my bottom ported OHM 100s to achieve similar results with those.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,330 posts
 
Hifis are like baseball teams. Ideally, you want 9 40 home run power hitters in teh lineup. That's optimal perforamnce. But realistically you will have some poor hitters and some good hitters with decent averages and on base % but not power hitters. They are good baseball players as well, many hall of famers.

So teh reality of things is that we often live quite happily with significant compromise compared to the ideal.

But the ideal is still best.

Oh, and some decent pitching and fielding does not hurt either.
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