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Big speakers in small room at moderate volume levels

My office is 11’W x 10’L x 9’H and is where I can listen to music for the next few years. I have a toddler and, for now, he has commanded the big spaces in the rest of the house. I have auditioned the Magico A3 and wanted to buy it but that was before I was relegated to the smallish office (I was expecting to move to a bigger room). I have removed the closet doors in this office room. The removal of the closet door gives me another 4 feet of depth to this room, though for only 1/2 width of the room. I can sit unobstructed 8 feet away from the speakers before I hit the area where the closet ends (so near field listening).

I currently I have KEF LS50 with Peachtree Nova 150. It is good and I can listen for the whole day without fatigue. I listen to FM, digital files on ROON, and my Sony SCD-1 SACD player. I want a bigger sound so I am looking at bigger speakers. I also do not want to use a sub since I am not a fan. I will also upgrade the NOVA 150 to the NOVA 500 in Spring 2019 and use with the LS50’s in a bedroom.

I came to the conclusion that my tastes would be best served by one of KEF Reference 1 or Magico A3. I was thinking that I would use the Lyngdorf 3400 in this room but I am having seconds thoughts on this now (some A’gon comments that it maybe a little dry). I am interested in solid state AB units like the Hegel H590 and Mark Levinson 585 to drive the speakers. I have heard the ML 585 and it is a fatigue free sounding unit that was a joy to listen to. I have not heard the Hegel H590 yet (but have heard other Hegels with KEF) and I am in the process of getting an audition of the H590. I have also discounted the class AB Micromega M-One 150 (with MARS room correction) because I do not want a cooling fan blowing in the room.

I must mention that I do not listen that loud when I am working and when I am working very late at night the volume is very low. The Mark Levinson and A3 combo was very good at low volumes during my demo but that was in the dealers perfect large room.

1) Am I making a mistake foregoing room correction with the 2 integrateds I am considering? Should I go with the Lyngdorf and A3 or KEF Ref 1, though I have never heard the Lyngdorf?

2) Will the Magico A3 work in this small room at moderate volumes WITHOUT room correction or will I subject myself to headaches and fatigue?

I am going to ask the dealer selling the A3’s this question when I am ready to buy but i wanted to ask on A’gon first to get some feedback. I doubt I could get the A3’s into my room for a trial but I have not asked the dealer yet.

I think (not 100% sure) the KEF Reference 1 with a non room correcting amp should work in my office space but I would prefer to buy the Magico A3 for the office. I have plans to buy another KEF model once my kid is a bit older and I can kick him out of the big room.
yyzsantabarbara
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,975 posts
 
Had a few long conversations with a couple of local dealers today. Got prices and suggestions. Discussed with dealers with the following lines, Lyngdorf, Anthem STR integrated, Simaudio 390 network player/preamp, KRELL K-300i integrated, KEF Reference 1, and the Harbeth SHL5+ (not a dealer for the line). Interesting feedback on room correction software. They preferred room treatments over the DSP approaches. However, the room treatments may not always work but the DSP can save the day. I will see once my GIK room treatments are installed.

As I stated in my first post, the sensible thing for my tastes, is likely to get the KEF R1. However, I am not feeling the excitement about doing that. Reason is having 3 KEF’s in the house. I am feeling some excitement for the new KRELL K-300i integrated. If that sounds close to the ML 585 then it is a better option than the ML because of the better connectivity options.

I am going to take the advice of a few posters here and check out the Vandersteen Treo CT again. One thing I was reading negatively for me on the Treo CT is the suitability of this speaker for low volume listening. I have been working all night tonight while also doing some audio research and my current system sounds bad at the low volumes I currently have set. Some A’gon posters brought this up on other threads about the Treo CT. Any of the Treo CT champions on this thread care to offer an opinion on that.

I will also keep the Magico A3 for consideration. I can do a home demo but I looked at the size of the boxes (on the online manual) and I am not sure if it would fit in my SUV. My have to rent a pickup truck for that.

https://magico.net/support/A3/A3_Owner_Manual.pdf

I got to get a floor stander into my room for demo, to either buy it or finally get it out of my system (physically and mentally). One thing that I have noticed is that by opening up my door, my room has become acoustically much larger.

gdnrbob
4,460 posts
 
If you want something stand mounted the Vandy VLR is exceptional for the money. I have them in my office, using them off axis (actually mounted near the ceiling corners on wall mounts). Very nice and relaxing, and detailed. I have listened to them with and without subs, when placed by corners, the bass is substantial.
Bob
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,975 posts
 
Note to self on small rooms

from @audiokinesis

So apparently good soundstaging over a wide sweet spot matters a lot to you. It does to me too. I like to feel immersed in the music, including the soundscape on the recording, and I like to share that experience with others without it being limited to the one or two best seats.

https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/curious-what-people-think-is-the-best-value-high-end-speaker-...
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,854 posts
 
Yysantabarbera you are back to square one, with a similar viewpoint to what we recommended when we first talked on the telephone.

Micromega M150 as it is compact, has room correction which will make a small difficult room sound great with a pair of Kef Reference Ones.

This is a reasonably priced setup that is compact in size and sounds fantastic, the M150 is one hell of a great integrated,  we will be bringing in the KAV 300i as it seems to be a killer integraed the Krell doesn't have room correction though which is a disadvantage vs the Micromega.

Food for thought. This package will come in reasonably in cost, will work wonders for a small room, and only requires an ethernet cable and one power cord. Simple elegant and fantastic sounding.

The Kef Reference ones work fabuslously well in a small room, wide dispersion, adjustable bass loading, and not too much deep bass and they sound big.

Use a good power cord, a set of good isolation feet Isoacosutic or Critical mass, a good ethernet cable and speaker cables and you will have one fanastic compact mini reference system.


Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,080 posts
 
my recollection is there are about ten of active or semi-active here on the forum who have Treo or Treo CT in a wide variety of rooms and systems....I would suggest send a PM and invite some into this conversation, which they may have missed. I know there is a supremely happy guy in Atlanta running the Carbon Tweeter Treo with Lyngdorf...

I listened to Margo and company last eve in the mid 60 db range in our condo system - clear as a bell with sweet detail and the unmistakable image of the ambisonic microphone array... BTW the QRP pressing of this, at least my copy is immaculate....were they all that good.

sounds like your local dealer foray was valuable...have fun...

your GIK pile of toys arrive yet ????

Jim
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