Suggestions for high efficiency speakers?

I was also impressed by the Audio Note's in Deja Vu's room at the Capital Audio Fest and also agree with your impressions.  I thought it was the best sounding room in my price range until I went to the Volti Audio room.  I listened to both the Rivals and the Razz that day and was absolutely gob smacked by both.  I insisted that my crew of friends listen to the Rivals yet again and they agreed that the Rivals  trumped even the excellent sounding Audio Notes.  I cam back and listened to the Razz later that afternoonr after again stopping by to listen to the Audio Notes.  I then spoke with Greg Roberts at the end of my day - very nice fellow and obviously passionate about his product.  He agreed that the Rivals were likely too big for my 12 x 18 listening room.  I ended up ordering a pair of Razz after a few days consideration to replace my Harbeth 30.2s and my REL sub, which until I have REALLY enjoyed.  However, the Volti sound has a presence and natural sound that just grabbed me.  The Volti's made me feel like I was in the middle of the music!  After 40 years of listening/buying and selling toomany speakers to count, if the Razz can do in my room what they did at the Capital Audio Fest, they might be my final pair of speakers.  I'll be running them with a Rogue Audio Stereo 100 tube power amp and a Prima Luna EVO 300 preamp and worry that i have too much power for the Uber efficient Razz given that Greg was running them with a 20 watt Border Patrol amp.

I liked the Volti room too, but, they had a little bit of a problem with bass response (probably the room and show conditions)--the bass was not well integrated with the rest of the sound.  Still, the old school technology (horn drivers, tube electronics) was quite impressive at the show when it came to just presenting music.

You will probably have even better sound in your own home, given that you will have more time and resources to make the speakers work well for you.  

Great thread.  I agree with the premise of course.  
 

We would be interested to know why, if you heard what you wanted from the Audio Note speakers why you're not intent on those.  Placement constraints?   
 

The ear/brain has a tipping point- if the speed isn't there, the brain moves the music processing from the limbic system to the cerebral cortex- robbing the music of some of its emotional impact
 

The above perhaps one of the most important comments that I've ever read on these forums.  And, it is at the heart of the answer to the OP.  
 

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

 

I suppose the above may be common knowledge but posts in these recommendation related threads are not often explicit on this aspect.  Anyway, I think this writer is really on to something.   Tone.   Poly-anything drivers (Devore included) to me make instruments sound a little bit like they're made of plastic.  Great speakers to be sure but I couldn't live with the tonal effects (affects?).   
 

Seems like there are always trade-offs.  Emotion vs. precision a big one.    I love the presence of the music that comes from my Kornerhorns but sometimes I wish I could experience better stereo imaging on them.  I understand why they don't image like Vandersteens but love the horns regardless.   

I also love the beautiful sonic images that come from my ESL rig, but the suspension of disbelief that happens listening to my horns just isn't there.  I'm always conscious that music is being reproduced on my ESLs.   
 

So I was thinking of suggesting that perhaps the answer to the question of which speakers to get will reveal itself when you figure out what kind of tone you want; what shape sound you want to live with (e.g. concentric vs horn ); and then, if you want a flat, precise, audiophile kind of sound or something more human.   
 

You're in an enviable position.  I admire your taste.

spirtofradio,

I am a fan of horn systems too.  I think that some cornerhorn systems don't develop a free-floating image and a sense of depth because of the placement close to the back wall.  I hear the same sort of limitations when non-horn systems are also placed close to the back wall (and/or side wall).  As you noned there are always trade-offs involved.  I have owned all sorts of systems, including ESLs and I've liked certain attributes of all these systems.  ESLs can sound very pure, delicate, and "fast," but most don't have the midrange "punch" that makes horn and certain other high efficiency speakers come alive in the midrange.  

While I do tend to hear tonal issues that seem to follow the type of material used for the driver, I find there are enough exceptions that I don't hold to any kind of hard and fast rule.  I tend to not like ceramic cone speakers, for example, but, with some brands, I don't seem to mind the material nearly as much as is the case with others (Tidal speakers don't bother me as much as other brands).

While some people relish finding certain guiding principles and rules, I actually like being surprised by stuff that defy my expectations (prejudices?).  For example, I've heard many single driver fullrange systems and liked their liveliness but I never expected them to be smooth enough or extended in frequency enough to be satisfying.  But recently, I've heard several examples, from the likes of Charney Audio, Voxativ and Cube Audio, that have changed my mind.  Perhaps, some day, I will hear a high-powered tube or solid state amp that will change my mind about those type of gear.

Line Magnetics makes field coil speakers that seem to be very highly regarded for around $9000.00.