I couldn't agree more in regard to speaker choices. My current favorites are Zu Omen DW's (with Clarity's) and Klipsch Heresy III's. This for the very reasons you mention. Both need at least a medium sized room to strut their stuff. Acoustic treatments further enhance the experience, both absorbtion and diffusion. All genres are invited to the party, even audiophile approved tinkle music if you must. Used with either 40 or 60 watt tube amps.
So I wonder if there is another speaker similar to our ZU's that dial it up a notch or two or a few.
Why can't we just be happy? It's not in our nature. Always want a little more instrument separation, that little more impact of a dual kick drum, deeper soundstage, more holographic imaging.
But I am VERY pleased with the ZU's. Maybe there isn't another speaker that will give me this much enjoyment unless I spend a significant more amount of money.
But the ZU's do it all! Primus at 100+ db peaks, check, 2Pac rattling the pictures on my wall, check, Diana Krall with her beautiful voice, check, Tom Morello's wild guitar riffs, check, Harry Connick Jr Jazz, check.
The ZU isn't a one trick pony. It does it all. And what I like about the ZU's, they are not picky with downstream electronics, nor picky with rooms or placement. They are going to sound great pretty much anywhere you place them. Now of course, the more attention you pay to room acoustics and treatment, the better electronics you pair them with, the better they get. That goes without saying. Every time I upgraded something in the chain, they got better.
The way I kind of look at it is, ZU built this speaker for the audiophile masses. People who value high quality audio but don't want to fuss with careful speaker placement nor careful system matching to make them sound good. They are turn key ready, plug and play and rock out! A speaker that does it all, two channel, home theater whatever. ZU really really hit a homerun with it. Probably the only reason they sell it 3-4 times a year. If they built it all year they would have to hire more staff.
Man, after reading my own reply, I sound like a ZU employee!
I can assure you, I am not.
