Efficient speakers -- What was your journey from A to B to ?

I have had the gamut of speakers including magnepan, von schweikert, Wilson, and a host of others. Around 2013 a friend of mine brought over an early pair of Klipsch Heresy speakers. Like a crack dealer on the corner, he got me hooked.

I immediately sought out a pair of Cornwall II speakers which were about a two hour drive away. This put me on a path to horns. I strayed away a couple of times, but came back. Here is the list of what I would call high efficiency that I have owned.

Klipsch Cornwall II

Crites Cornscala C

GR Research Super V (around 95 db)

Klipsch Forte III

Klipschorn

Spatial Audio X3 (96 db)

Klipsch Cornwall IV

Klipsch Lascala II

I have landed with the LS II and an Aric Audio Super 300B SET. Once you get your system dialed in and speakers positioned in the room correctly, all those horn nasties that people go on and on about just disappear. I can’t see myself going back to speakers that require an arc welder to drive. Just something about the dynamics of high sensitivity speakers and the way they let the music flow into the room.

Be advised that even though the X3 from Spatial Audio is 96 db, I found that I could NOT drive it with the amp I had at the time, a Decware Torii II. Once I got into the 50-100 watt range, the speakers sounded pretty good. But the Decware (at 20 wpc) could not do it.

@perkadin 
Thanks for your reply. Zu being raucous is what I've heard -- and for some, that works well. I need something which avoids "raucous." I've heard others describe Forte as the sweet spot. Good to get confirmation from you.

@larryi 
Thanks for the Charney Audio and Songer Audio mentions. They're not names I've heard much but I'll research them.

@ditusa Thanks for the JBL link.

@shkong78  I'd like to go to Axpona. Good idea.

@benanders  Good point about design as a primary criterion. I've heard one GR research line array powered by a 245 amp and it was pretty magical (had open baffle bass drivers, too).

@phildebrandt  A local dealer just started carrying Audio Note. I hope to hear them. Zu is really not a likely choice. I am hoping, as you say, to bring out the quality I've invested in amps and sources.

@phusis 

Main goal through it all, apart from other traits of high efficiency: better coherency via a more range uniform speaker-room interaction, and ultimately also less interference from the acoustic environment.

Very well put. That captures what I expect I'm seeking, too. I am hoping NOT to wind up with huge speakers. Your description of your journey is very helpful and gives me a lot to think about and research. Part of my current challenge is timing these trials -- I'm moving my audio from one room into another and the dimensions of the room will factor in. Both rooms are medium-large, I'd say. 

@ozzy62 

Thanks for your comments. Quite the journey! This stood out for me: "I can’t see myself going back to speakers that require an arc welder to drive. Just something about the dynamics of high sensitivity speakers and the way they let the music flow into the room."

Just my two bits. I’ve owned many traditional speakers, drivers in box, ported and sealed. Rogers, Mission, TDL, NHT, Tyler.. I enjoyed all of them. They have been mostly polite, natural and neutral sounding. Wanting some more impact and dynamics I started looking into horn loaded designs. My first stop was a new pair of Klipsch Heresy IV’s. They were great, what I’d been looking for. Dynamic and engaging, not polite.. I really felt pulled in. Of course I did get the upgrade bug so I listened to the Forte and Cornwall, very nice speakers, but I didn’t feel I was getting a significant improvement over my Heresy’s. I kept them.. Then I was recommended to look into Volti by an AG member and friend. When I heard the Volti Razz it was like a veil was lifted. I was hearing the most incredible midrange and upper bass I had ever heard from a home speaker. Detailed and dynamic, beautiful open sound stage I just had to have them. To me the Heresy’s sounded thin, missing that fully formed midrange, same when I took a listen at a dealer with the Forte.

When I picked up my ordered Razz from Greg Roberts, he really went out of his way to explain his careful process of choosing drivers and designing his cabinets. Using a simple demo of a 2" throated horn he showed me the light. Easy to drive with just about anything. I have a Margules ACRH3 and Cary SLI80 HS i swap in and out along with my rusty trusty Mac240. The Razz showcases each amp’s character as well as it’s own. Only way I would upgrade these would be for a new pair of Volti Rival’s or if I won the lotto, the Vittora.

BTW I am going to own another pair of the Heresy's, they really were a fun pair of speakers,  there's just something about them that's hard to put into words. 

FYI Greg will be at the Fla Audio Expo, if you go, you can compare the Volti sound with several others.. just saying

Of the speakers you mention I have owned two:

Spatial Audio X5

97db. This speaker made magic with a Pass XA-25. Imaging was phenomenal, particularly the layered depth it produced. The negative was it produced a very narrow sweet-spot in my room, I think because of the unusual tweeter it uses.

Fyne F1-8

91db. Current speakers. These have concentric drivers and as a result imaging is excellent just about anywhere in the room. Imaging is not quite a magical as the X5, but still excellent with AGD monoblocks. This is a very well balanced speaker. It also has a presence control that is very effective in making adjustments for personal taste in the 2-5k range. I use it with a subwoofer.

I also recommend you add the Caladan from Clayton Shaw Acoustic Lab to your list. 93db, open baffle design with a silk dome tweeter. I heard them at Capital AudioFest and ordered a pair - waiting for delivery. Very reasonably priced, extremely good sound.

I've owned a few of these over the years, 

- Audio Note ANE:  great midrange decent bass if set up right but IMO lacking in bass definition if the room is not perfect for them. not as efficient as claimed, you need min 20-30wpc to get the to sing. 

Fyne: Tannoy engineers making Tannoy nock offs but I've heard them and they sound great. on my list to look at one day.

Klipsch: heresy 3, LaScala ( full crites upgrades), Cornwall 2, they do dynamics like no other, the LS's are special in the midrange. 

legacy i want to try them one day.

 
Living Voice: I had a set of Avatars earlier ones, some of the most musical speakers i've ever owned, still regret selling them and probably will own a set again. 

Omega SAM's: best imagine I've ever heard but lacking in some areas they have a bit of the typical honking sound that some full rangers have. 

Pure Audio Project tri 15 friend has them very nice but maybe a bit over priced. 

Tannoy Monitor Gold 15's:  interesting I'd like to hear the newer ones but if they are in the wrong cabinet they sound horrid.