Tvad
I've done nothing but offer my experiences with the Sonata III speakers using PP and OTL tube amps and solid state amps. I've not criticized anyone else's choices. We all hear differently and have different preferences. Why my balls are being broken here, I can't quite understand.
Take a breath and relax.
I suppose not only do we hear things differently, sometimes we percieve things which arent really there.
Honestly, Tvad, I simply dont get it. My line of thought was how seemingly much effort and energy you spent to acquire a certain product or result with the IIIs, yet were unable to accomplish it.
That mystifies me
. Given my own exp with them.
I sincerely could only account for it one of two ways
the units you bought were deficient somehow initially,
or
youre one tuff hombre to satisfy.
A third came to mind as maybe you were trying to get blood out of a turnip, but I dismissed that one as you usually know what is up with what audiowise, or seem to.
Consequently I merely asked questions to those ends.
Newbie summarized things well enough for me, though Id not wish to allow you to feel usurped, minimized, beleaguered or walk around with broken balls. Neither of which was ever my intent towards you, or anyone else for that matter. Period.
I said that already. Didnt I?
some of those amps you listed when used by others with completely different loudspeakers yielded similar results. Less than satisfactory bass output and extension. This info is according to some other folks I have personally spoken with so it came as little surprise to me you experienced similar results with the IIIs
using namely the VAC 160s and the Atmasphere amps.
to your credit, your experience (s) leave a legacy for others whose efforts fall along the same lines. And might save another from such less than results by avoiding the combos you tried personally. Maybe.
You know audio nuts
theyre lible to try most anything at some point.
Infinity
Ive had mine as close as 26 or 27 inches from rear of unit to the wall behind them. Further out is better. As close as 20 inches off the side walls. Measuring from the more vertical portion of the cabinent
not the slanted upper regions. Alan suggested as little as 18 inches off side walls
. And 30 off their back sides. He said this is how he sets them up at shows most often
if I understood him correctly
Ive found them similar to the Sophias in that the geography of the soundscape doesnt lay behind them quite so much as with other speakers, and extends more so firly evenly behind and forward of them.
Electronics and cabling choices there will gain you some more geography rearward of the front baffles. Bringing them out into the room more will help as well. Recordings too play some part there too, just not as much.
Given you can not move further into your room aways from the rear wall, and space is a real consideration, for a good bit less, those SR 17 or latter models are reputed to be very, very, nice indeed.
My SR 15s are IMO pretty nice monitors. I could live with them without a lot of trouble, though a sub would be a for sure item to be added too
and better still would be two small subs
like a pair of SVS, HSU, or even VElodyne SPL 10s,
Maybe monitors should be a thought
or more thought given to units which can rest quite close to the wall behind them with good results.
The IIIs twin rear ports do necessitate more space off the wall behind them as will many rear ported speakers
vs. no rear ports.