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Afraid to buy new speakers

I'm stuck with hideous acoustics that simply couldn't be worse, and I have to place speakers close to a concrete block wall. There's no getting around it. I have decent CD player and integrated amp recently bought new (NAD 365BEE) as well as a Parasound P3 and PS Audio HCA2. Given my sorry room configuration I fear any speaker I buy will be a mere shadow of itself in a different environment, and I cannot change this environment. I'm finding that a set of small monitors and a sub seems to work, but these speakers have their own limitations. I've got a max $3K budget for a pair of speakers, but read time and again how any speaker will sound like crap when their back panel is placed close to a wall. If true that kills anything and I might as well stick with my monitors or if I want to play really loud when the wife's out put my old Advent 2s on and launch the cones. Is there ANY speaker in the 2-3 thou range that is designed to function well close to a wall save an in-wall unit? I look at these long ribbons of 3-4" drivers and can't help but think they'll sound horrible, but who knows. I'm probably going to be here for some years, so I have to make the most of it.
rg500g
ohlala
1,235 posts
 

AudioKinesis Prisma
or AudioKinesis Rhythm Prism

are a couple designed for it. I have heard the latter in a small room and they were good. I do not know what you have been reading, but there are a variety that will do fine against a wall. Easy examples: the ones I own (sealed three-ways) sound better in a Cardas room config but are perfectly enjoyable against a wall. Robert Lee told me his Crescendos should be placed under two feet or over five feet away from the front wall.

Speakers will sound better when no placement variables are fixed but most of us have some constraints still and do okay.
rlwainwright
1,904 posts
 
The Gallo Reference AV speakers are designed to use the wall as a backplane. Read up on them, they may be exactly what you are looking for...

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/gallo6/av.html

-RW-
svkelleher's avatar
svkelleher
17 posts
 
Try taking a look at the North Creek Music Kitty Kat and Big Kat. I ran across these while researching inductors for a DIY project. The manufacturer states that they're designed specifically for near wall placement using Scan Speak (Revelator) and North drivers.
malcolm02
43 posts
 
Von Schweikert VR-22
dwest1023
205 posts
 
I am a caregiver for my 90 year old mom. I sold my home to move back into the home I grew up in. In my former home, I had a krell setup with NHT 3.3's that were bi amped. Needless to say I had a hell of system! Now I have a modified Jolida amp with NHT super zeros mounted on the wall near the corners of my room. I also have the matching 8 inch sub and it works completely seamless with zeros. Paid less that 800 for the speaker system and let me tell you, I get just as much enjoyment listening to this system as I did with my 20K system. Other than the pants shaken bass, I sometimes feel this setup sounds like my more expensive system. I did add some room treatment, which I believe is just as important and the equipment itself. It made a night and day difference to my system
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