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

Don’t see Devore O series on the list but hoping to hear some myself - rarely come up used.  Just a comment on Audio Note - they want to be in the corner - not sure that would work in your current space but you mention you are moving to another room.

im on my first stop on the high efficiency journey - agree with the comment about music sounding effortless.  I’m using Omega CAM in a smallish room with a single sub.  Don’t miss the tweeter at all - both because I sit in a fixed sweet spot and also as I’m 68 and my hearing drops off after 12k… please report back on where you end up

DIY is a really great route for this, as you can get really high quality drivers vs manufacturer made speaker systems. Most high efficiency solutions will use a full range driver and a bi-amp solution for the bass drivers. DSPing the bass drivers with a high quality DSP is almost always better than relying on an internal or external analog crossover because it also addresses issues in your room.

I’ve tried a number of high efficiency speakers, and my personal favorites were custom Oris 200 horns with AER BD3 drivers. AER drivers are not cheap, but they are outright fantastic. Incredibly sensitive, typically over 100dB, and no sizzle or fatigue like Lowthers.

Another option, also quite pricey, are Voxativ field coil drivers. I have a friend who uses those with custom bass cabs, and they are unparalleled in terms of presence and as fatigue free as AER.

I know you mentioned that you won’t spend tens of thousands, and that likely puts the Voxativ out of your budget, but you may come across a nice pair of vintage AER for a great price. 

@doyle3433 
Appreciate your input! I am very interested in the Volti Razz. A fully formed midrange? Sign me up. @decooney mentioned them to me, too. Thanks for the tip about the Florida Expo!

@markmuse  My listening with the Spatial had the same downside and there was a lack of focus. Maybe it was just that particular setup. I am very curious about the Fyne, for sure. The Caladan is another interesting one, not least because of the silk dome. A gentle touch! Thanks for your comments.

@glennewdick Helpful remarks. Not sure why Fyne qualifies as a "knock off" just because there was some personnel which went from Tannoy to Fyne. The Living Voice really pique my interest. Thanks!

@jtcf  I've heard that QS and Klipsch are a good match -- thanks for affirming that.

@burtlake  Devore was on my list for a while, but after hearing the 0/96 I don't think they're quite my taste. Very expensive, too. But if I could get them in my house for a trial (never gonna happen) I could be sure. I'll let you know what happens and thanks for your comment.

@blisshifi  DIY sounds like an good avenue. Voxativ sounds interesting and I might be able to hear some, locally. Thanks for you input.

I don’t have much to add but have been using horn speakers (JBL 4367) for about a year now.

One thing I will say is there is almost always a trade off with bass extension. You are either going to have huge speakers or no bass depth if you want high efficiency. I personally think the solution is to add subs unless you have a very large budget.

For me the advantages (dynamics) out weigh the negatives. I will be using horns longterm at this point. It has been a revelation for me, everything just sounds less produced.

@hilde45 Not to trash on Devore, but I agree. I’ve had a few of John’s speakers on my floor, and they are too overpriced for their performance IMHO. The outside cabinets are attractive, but the innards leave much to be desired. They are not bad sounding, but there are many better alternatives in the market, many which are already mentioned on this thread.