Suggestions for high efficiency speakers?

magnet drivers. I think that the permanent magnet version of the Western Electric 555 compression driver is at least as good

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My tech  believes a good (= heavy duty) ferrite is every bit as good as a lighter weight Nd/Alnico/FC motor system. But as you say if given a choice, you would opt for FC.

Whereas I would opt for Nd.

That aside,, I’m beginning to believe most important component in a FR is the cone material.

There are Bamboo fiber/TB Banana fiber/Kanuf fiber/Fostex Paper /some Voxativ paper/mineral composite/AER Paper coated treated/Cube Sandwiched paper/mineral composite mix/Mark Audio Wood composite/Davidlouis Someone on DIY has argued wood IS PAPER.. well duhh yes, but it ain’t paper paper. Its wood,, something like bamboo wood fiber, exact same wood fiber as a few of Vox’s higher end/higher priced models. Each material will offer a slightly different sound resonances throughout the entire mid fq.s 200/300hz through to the 4k/5khz. Low bass 40-80hz and highs say 10k-15khz these will be very close in all materials just listed.

Sure magnet structure ~~Cube’s 81 Nd/at a combined weight of 1480 grams is stunning, not to mention their *8secret mix magnetic motor also looks like it has POWER,, AER’s massive magnet motors, as well as Vox’s huge ferrite magnets. So all top lines offer pretty much excellent magnetic field power to drive the electrons through the cone /whizzers/phase plugs. Its the cone material composition which will determine how each high end manufacturer’s speaker will voice the critical midrange resonances and nuances.

IOW each will have a particular **house sound**. Its this **house sound** which is what makes the voice either to our liking, or not so well liked. ~~Come material determines a FR voice in the band width which is our main concern in FR speakers. Not bass, not highs.

These bands are only secondarily of importance.

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I love my Forte IV.  They are the perfect fit for my living space right now.  Down the road I would like something larger but I really love them.  They sound huge .  But they handle all types of music well.  I am waiting on a 300b. Amp for them and just bought a Zesto Leto and I do not think those Klipsch will be out of place at all with those electronics , they will sound even better.  

Horn loaded speakers. Jbl- altec- klipsch-  tad- tannoy- ev-. You can't go wrong with anyone of these speakers.  Happy hunting.

For engagement with instruments, particularly small groups or soloists, true horns like Avant Garde will present a fantastic illusion of three dimensional listening. The design of the physical horn will determine the perception of placement of sound. If you want more of that effect, then it will be hard argue against Avant-garde or a used Cain and Cain design. Classic older horn speakers like Altec, Klipsch and JBL become a playground of tinkering with crossovers and tweaks. Some dismiss them, but I find them to be very engaging. I had a pair of Heathkit Legatos from Goodwill during college, and they remain a true love. If you love vintage speakers, but want them loaded with upgrades in a perfectly made box, Robertson at Volti is the guy. Devore and Audionote are sophisticated compromises between those who like horns and lovers of a wood box. John Devore really took a risk in a world of nerds with gadgets to measure, and made a speaker tuned to passion over graphs. They are great speakers, and handle so many types of music well. Audionote is fantastic for the same reasons. For small band jazz, they are strong contenders. While Zu, Triangle and others have their (very valid) takes on efficiency, and imaging, I’ve never felt a room come alive in their presence. I’ve never been as excited by anything as I was by a pair of field coils in a large space, but I’ve never been able to emulate that with modern tamed versions. By definition, a lover of low wattage and horns is going to be a finicky irrational bird. No one will be able tell you what to buy, only what to try. The fact that the Audionote piqued your interest tells me you owe it to yourself to dig deeper there first, then perhaps explore Devore. I would not dismiss the 93 as less than the 96. It’s worth trying too. I’m way out on the fringe and can’t be happy unless I’ve modified an old box to the end of its limits, or found a pair of Terry Cain’s speakers online. The exploration and discovery is as much fun as the marriage if you find the right pair. If nothing else, your arms are about to get stronger.