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High value, high efficiency speakers for SET amps

Hi, Gang,
I know that some of what I want to discuss here has been dealt with in other threads, some of them quite old, but I wanted to see if any of you fine, knowledgable folks are willing to help update and consolidate some of this info in a more current thread.
I am currently running my new Audio Note Kit 1 300B SET amp with a pair of Reference 3A De Capo speakers. I think it's a fine pairing and I am really enjoying what the 300B SET experience brings to the table in terms of musicality and emotional connection.
Still the De Capo, while supposedly an easy load due to its crossover-less design (only 1 cap on the tweeter with the mid-woofer directly coupled to the amp), is "only" rated at 92 db efficient, and based on the most recent Canadian NRC specs, that rating may be optimistic.
So, I am toying with the idea of trying a pair of more efficient, deliberately SET-friendly speakers in my rig, something that might also play lower and with greater dynamic swing than the De Capo's. Note that the De Capo's have served me well and I am very fond of them, but I can't help but wonder if my lovely Kit 1 would shine even better coupled to a VERY easy to drive speaker.
Devore and Audio Note are obvious options - the O/96 looks really tasty. Unfortunately, both of those choices are out of my budget, which I'm thinking maxes out (for real) at around $1500. I am willing to consider used equipment.
Tekton Lore 2.0: This is the speaker that Eric Alexander of Tekton has recommended when we've spoken on the phone, based upon my medium-small listening room and amp. I've read the epic "Lore vs. Zu" thread elsewhere in this forum, and clearly Tekton has its enthusiastic fans here. What I wonder is whether the Lore 2.0 has the refinement of the De Capo in terms of resolution, sweet high end and imaging. Audiogon'er Mikirob has pointed me to the many rave reviews of Tekton's speakers and I'm definitely interested.
I've corresponded with the Sonist folks (who are super nice) but their really high-efficiency, nearly-full-range floor stander is out of my budget.
Then there's the "vintage" route, going after some used JBL's or other high-efficiency "classics" from the 80's (or '70's). I am not inclined to go in this direction, but mention it because it's been suggested to me.
And then there's Omega. I spoke to Louis some time ago and he recommended his 7XRS hemp cone model. But I know all the raps on single driver designs and I'm cautious, although I would like to hear from any of you who own or have owned Omega's.
I'm in no rush to make a switch but I am very interested in your thoughts. Thanks, folks!
rebbi
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charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
David
We all here are certainly entitled to our various opinions. But I fail to see any nefarious motive in Rebbi's postings on this forum. In fact I think it's likely educational and informative for those who have come upon it. I'm
certain folks have learned a few things from following this thread.
Charles,
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mapman
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More Shameless plugs:

Tad hibachis are gone.

I have stax phones and mhdt tube Dac up for sale now. I'd love to hear both with a set amp. If not in tested send me a set to try and I might end up keeping them both. 😉
tubegroover
2,279 posts
 
Hey Map those MHDT units are musical if not the last word in detail, they get tone right. Better than the other way around. The Havana was my favorite before I purchased a Modwright Oppo, it was just so enjoyable and engaging contrary to some of the others with greater detail maybe but always something distracting and ultimately irritating, one of them became unlistenable. I've been out of the budget DAC game for a few years so don't have a clue as to how things have changed, I expect quite a bit but really it always comes down to how a given component is going to work in a given set-up, there are seemingly few absolutes.
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mapman
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Tube I'd agree with your assessment of the mhdt dacs. Both I own share the same positive traits though one is tube and sensitive to tube rolling and the SS and just darn good as it is. Either sounds similarly excellent with most any good quality source I've used over the years and I've used quite a few with both always with great success. I used to covet dcs gear. That is my reference for how good digital can sound. I'm not saying the mhdts are as good as dcs but whatever the difference that might exist I find it does not matter to me. These things just make good music! The enjoy the sound review from a few years back nailed it exactly I have found.
rebbi OP
1,319 posts
 
Earlier on in the thread, someone had mentioned Spatial. If you don't know, Clayton Shaw founded Spatial to continue to develop open baffle, controlled directivity speakers after leaving Emerald Physics. His latest, which debuted at THE Show in Newport, is the Spatial M3. It is rated at 94 dB efficient, goes down to 32 Hz, and has been getting (like the rest of the Spatial lineup) rave reviews from the press. The price is $1499 plus shipping (which, at 75 lb. per side, isn't cheap). See here. He has links to the reviews, too.
Interesting!
Clayton says they sound great with a 300B SET but you'd want to use the 4 Ohm taps on an amp, which, in the case of the Kit 1, would require some trivial rewiring.
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