IMHO, "comfort" is over-rated, here.
I want comfortable shoes, in the sense that I don't want to
feel pain, I don't want my attention drawn to discomfort in my feet
when I stand or walk. When I am paying attention and listening
seriously to music, I don't want to be uncomfortable in my seat,
BUT I am not seeking detachment, either.
When I listen to music in a dedicated
room, I actually want to feel a certain "tension" as I listen to
music. I want to pay attention to details, to be involved
in the listening experience. While my mental focus is the music,
"comfort" to me is the absence of sensations that can
interfere with this.
There are practical considerations, too.
Here is my personal criteria, regarding my listening chair:
1) minimal interaction of the seat (influencing the sound) with
absorbing sound waves. This leads to concerns about the size,
composition material, and mass of the chair.
2) ability to support my lower back and encourage a
natural neck/ head position
3) ability to raise/lower the height of the seat to vary the listening
position in relation to speakers
4) ease of entry and exit from the seat and ability to keep both feet
flat on the floor
I have Ekornes furniture elsewhere, but for me it doesn't
"fit" in my dedicated listening room. The physical
"isolation" of a recliner/lounge chair is at odds with the mental
participation that I am seeking when I listen to music intently.
My solution? The kind of chair you find in the waiting room of a professional office. Four thin legs, a supportive back, and
armrests. Moderately priced, efficient, and sonically neutral.
Yes, I have more respect for "wallflower" functional furniture and
am less attracted to upscale pieces that seem to call attention to
themselves rather than serve the music...
