Calling for recommendations: Speakers for a very lively room


To my dismay, I recently returned a set of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends to the manufacturer.

I spent a solid sixty days moving the speakers through my room, re-organizing my room, moving inexpensive panels and blankets and cushions into various reflection points, and occasionally the DW's would do what they were supposed to do: creating a sublimely vivid soundstage and lifelike musical forms... 

Unfortunately, it was like that "good time" you can never pin down, it just doesn't hold steady long enough to do its thing consistently, and the speakers mostly muddied my ears, or sheared them off. The room was the apparent culprit, with one large window on the north side, a three glass-door closet on the west wall, and a fireplace on the east wall.

It was disappointing and I can say that the speakers would give me just enough of a feeling for what they could do to push me to try 'one more thing' but in the end, I could see that the next step was heavy investment in professional tiles, absorbers, diffusers with no real understanding of what would address the problem. I was also 'out of time' and didn't want to find myself an owner of a set of speakers I couldn't control. Gerrit at Zu, a very helpful fellow, also offered the observation that a room treatment might solve one problem only to introduce another.

I appreciate a guy who sees how one move implies another. 

So, I'm looking around for something else...

I'm thinking bookshelf speakers might be better. One friend offered the observation that a more directional speaker is needed, perhaps something with a horn. That makes sense... What do you all think? I'd like to keep the price at the limit of what I spent on the DW's: about $1300 (I had the Jupiter caps installed). Frankly, I'm seeing many options in the bookshelf category that look attractive at $500, like the Klipsch RP600M, for instance. I'm not sure how that speaker would fit/sound in my room...

Thanks in advance!
listening99
I have a narrow 15 foot by 40 deep room.  One whole wall is almost all glass.  The other wall opens into a hallway and further back a kitchen.  I have Ohm Walsh Talls 18 inches out  from the corners, (stereo subs in the corners) and don’t notice reflections or any difference between left and right channels.  Great soundstage.  I tried the Ohm Walshes because from all I read and where my speakers need to be (living room) and 40 feet of glass on one side, I decided not to chase pinpoint imaging.  If because of your room size Ohms are out of your budget, maybe try a used pair.  That’s what I did, and after several years, now I’ve ordered upgraded speakers for the cabinets 
If feasible, add a high pile rug covering a large area between speakers and listening chair. Also, furnish the room with furniture might help break up the sound. Fabric sofa or any piece of furniture along the walls.

If all else fails, you may consider the other options.

For pinpoint imagining in a reflective room you need a very narrow directivity speaker and listen in nearfield.
A "Live" room indicates that there are many reflective surfaces which tend to accent upper mid and higher frequencies as they bounce around.  That is why often room treatment is recommended. 
In the case of type of tweeter??? overall it doesn't matter.  What is needed is a speaker that has a laid back upper midrange and treble area.  If you can find something that the tweeter is down a db or so, you will have a reasonable chance getting a decent balance in a live room.  A few things to try.... Get your speakers away from the side walls.  Tow- your speakers in just a bit toward the listening position.  Add treatment to the most effected sidewall.  Try these things 1st,  if you do replace your speakers,  look for frequency curves  Something that looks more like this.   ---------------______.   Good Luck,  PM me if you need some help.  Tim 
Maggies, pretty warm sounding and they can use the rear reflective surfaces if placed right.