Speaker of My House…!

The 5XXX series ohm Walsh like the F5s I have run for a number of years now have 4 3 way level adjustments on each speaker including bass adjustments for room size and proximity to walls and corners.   So they are perfect to meet your variable room requirement. 

@dsnyder0cnn I guess I want a system that sings in my larger room and sounds good in my office. It’s not easy to move all that junk to be honest, but I love it…! I’ve gotten really good at dialing the system in for each room…. 

Ohm Walsh. 

I'm with @dsnyder0cnn on this--given the disparity in room sizes finding a one size fits all loudspeaker is tricky, not to mention the logistics of moving such a speaker.  The Rockport Aviors that i originally recommended weigh 220 lbs each and i'd be concerned for your nice hardwood floors.  I suppose you could dial in a single pair in each room and mark the location with tape or something--i also have 3 different rooms in which i have systems but my floorstanders remain in the main listening room and i purchased stand-mounts for the other two--there are many outstanding (and pretty) stand-mounts you could use for the two smaller rooms but if you're looking for full range, good looking speakers in each room your budget will blow through the roof (although you've never mentioned how much it is i think we assumed based on your current speakers)--good luck

it comes down to a system that I can tolerate in the smaller room and that excels in the larger room.

This concept is difficult for me to fathom. It usually takes me a month of weekends to get a system dialed-in for a given room. Once it’s performing at its peak, I don’t want to touch a thing! At least not for a long while. I can’t imagine rotating a system across three different rooms.

Minimally, I would purchase three pairs of loudspeakers, once that will perform optimally for each room. Matching amplification to the loudspeakers is also important, so I might also purchase dedicated amplification for one or more rooms.

I’m at a loss for how to help, but perhaps our exchange will be informative to others here. Good luck!

@dsnyder0cnn - I think it comes down to a system that I can tolerate in the smaller room and that excels in the larger room.

And it's actually three different rooms.... For me...to be honest... the journey is just as important and fun as the final outcome... 

I suppose that's frustrating and hard to advise.... Sorry bout that..!

 

I saw some of the photos. Looks like quite a project. One more question for clarification:

Is your plan to regularly move this system between these two rooms, or is this a more-or-less permanent move from the larger room to the smaller one? If the former, it looks like you may have enough equipment for two systems. Perhaps do that instead?

…what I'm getting at is that it's difficult to make a recommendation that will work equally well in two different rooms. If folks here could know where this system will ultimately land or at least spend most of its time, I imagine you'd get more helpful answers. In my experience, one must choose the right loudspeakers for the room to get the best results.

Using the Legacy Aeris as an example, my experience with it's smaller sibling (the Focus XD) taught me that you have to sit at least ten feet away for all six front-firing drivers to integrate seamlessly as a point-source. That is impractical in your smaller room.

I’m nuts as I move a pretty hefty system between two rooms in my house. I have an Instagram page that documents the whole journey

I saw some of the photos. Looks like quite a project. One more question for clarification:

Is your plan to regularly move this system between these two rooms, or is this a more-or-less permanent move from the larger room to the smaller one? If the former, it looks like you may have enough equipment for two systems. Perhaps do that instead?

…what I'm getting at is that it's difficult to make a recommendation that will work equally well in two different rooms. If folks here could know where this system will ultimately land or at least spend most of its time, I imagine you'd get more helpful answers. In my experience, one must choose the right loudspeakers for the room to get the best results.

Using the Legacy Aeris as an example, my experience with it's smaller sibling (the Focus XD) taught me that you have to sit at least ten feet away for all six front-firing drivers to integrate seamlessly as a point-source. That is impractical in your smaller room.

@dsnyder0cnn - I'm nuts as I move a pretty hefty system between two rooms in my house. I have an Instagram page that documents the whole journey:

(It' started with an integrated amp and a Blusound Node....and then, well.... Sh#t Happened....

https://www.instagram.com/joe_hifi/

I'm trying out smaller stand-mount speakers just to see what they sound like, but I bet I land on a pair of pricey floor standers.... Waiting on a pair of Harbeth Monitors and Sonus Faber Electa Amator 3's...

My main listening room is about 18’ X 22’ with vaulted 12’ ceiling. My system also spends time in my home office which is small - 13’ X 14’ also with high vaulted ceilings and as many room treatments as I could fit.

Hmmm, is your plan to have a system that's easy to move between these two rooms and works well in both? If so, I would suggest a really nice headphones rig or extreme nearfield setup rather than attempting to find full-range loudspeakers that will shine these two very different rooms.

@wyoboy I’ll try to find a dealer. Thank you…!

I second those who suggest Rockport--i have lusted for them but can't afford (the divorce that would follow).  As someone else mentioned, your room size is not that large so Avior II would suffice--Cygnus would be overkill.  Ticks all boxes and they sail on down to 25Hz with ease.  Hopefully one of your dealers carries them--they're pretty too!

A couple of times I’ve had a monitor and dual sub set up. First was with 3 different Omega speakers with Omega subs and second with Shelby+Kroll monitors with S+K subs. After many exhausting trials I came across the Dspeaker Anti Mode Dual Core which gave me the best bass overall. It sends out bass tones and fixes the bass nodes in your room. Dspeaker now has the X4 Anti Mode which is also an electronic crossover. Not sure if your budget but you’ll save yourself a lot of time and frustration.

https://www.underwoodhifi.com/products/dspeaker

I tried 4 different subs, none worked out/they were messy. Not giving up yet.

One of the nice things about adjustable bass is sometimes you think you want more so you just dial more in. Then in a few days you realize you had it right before lol. Bass has a profound effect on musical enjoyment and enjoyment for the system as a whole. It is the most important thing to get right. sometimes I have trouble telling which speaker has better mids or highs as they are often just different not better but I can tell in just a few seconds which system has better bass. 

the nice thing about a high pass is you can play with the crossover point.  you can technically put it anywhere you want (30-120db) and really let’s you dial in the sound power/hand off to the main speakers. Without one you have to come in real low as to not cause a hump and corresponding dip in the overlap between the sub and mains.  

@james633 - Interesting... Thanks for these notes. I can't wait to get all this stuff and start tinkering around...! Hopefully it all should start trickling in late next week. Back in 1998, I had a pair of Miller & Kriesel (sp?) satellites and two massive subs.... I'm sure the technology has come such a long way. Will keep you posted....

Good choice on adding subs. Even the lower end of the “price not an issue” stuff you are looking at all lacks bass. Yeah I might play down to 20hz with room gain but it does not mean it does it with ease and texture. 
 

I can’t recommend trying the JL Audio CR-1 crossover enough. The Rel hook up is 1980s tech…  to get subs to truly mesh well you need a high pass crossover. I would also argue subs work better with full range speakers. I think it’s a best to cross them over where the bass driver drops off and the port starts to pick up. So this would be 50-70hz for almost all ported speakers. 
 

I will never run a system without subs again (well not my main system) but I also would never run subs without a high pass. My system will let me run with and without the high pass so I have A/B tested it many times. With the crossover it sounds like one big awesome speaker. Without it, it sounds like a good speaker with a good sub…

Trust the heritage, as well as the new attitude of Sonus faber. You won't regret it!

listen to Vandersteen speakers before you write a check...

Maybe…..

just curious, you said "try" and then "used", you plan to sell them if they don't work out?

Thank you all for the feedback…! Really helpful…!

I decided to try two different bookshelf/monitor solutions with two Rel Subs.

Sonus Faber Elector Amator 3 

Harbeth 3.0XD

I found everything used. Even the subs.

I will keep y’all posted.

+1 for Raidho; saving for TD2.2 (in 3 years)

If you enjoyed the SF sound and merely need volume I think the Amatis or Pearls would be great. I'm also in the Rockport camp, and Tidal. Sound you can enjoy for hours and hours; I have Raidho D2s and have never looked back.

on the question: because of your room size (from the pictures) I would use bookshelf speakers.

this is a fine list:

Marten, Sonner, Joseph would be my order of interest....

@jomonhifi 

sorry if I offended you, I guess I only knew 2% of the story. (however I am not sorry for, maybe this was one quick to way to get the details out of you :) )

Good luck to you. I work hard too, but I am more on the "buried in debt" side, and I just dream about little things like a cheap, used subwoofer. So I don't have your problems, but I enjoy reading about them.

@grislybutter Oh gosh... I’d never want to come across bored or petulant. I’m tweaking constantly. I’m even moving the entire system room to room in order to squeeze out sonic nuances. I’m striving for a better sound experience always. I spend a fair amount of time listening to music in my home and visiting as many hifi shops as I have time for. I love comparing the sound of different systems. I spent almost two hours last week moving crap  around in my dealers room full of shiny objects trying to build what I can image might work in my home. I absoulutely love the sound of music and listening to the sound of music and just listening to music. All kinds. I studied music up until college and thought I was going to be a professional musician. My father taught my how to build stuff and at a very young age, he let me solder resistors to the circuit boards of his Dynakit Pre-Amp and Amp in 1967. I’ve worked so hard all my life and I’ve managed to save money and build a lovely life for myself. I am a very lucky man and always try to see the positive in every endeavor.

So... Bored...? Never...

Goldenear.

you had a post a few weeks ago about your problems and nobody understood what your issues were with the Sonus Faber Serafino. It seems that you just want something else for the sake of change - instead of tweaking what you have? I mean, every component you have is a trillion dollars, are you just bored?

I'd say go open baffle. There are some great Spatial Audio X3s (used but the seller is a great audiophile and has it in great shape) for sale on Audiocircle or USAudiomart for a great price. They image like crazy and are broken in. 

If I was going to spend in that arena would be Focal most likely but I would listen to some other stuff. 

Cal me the Majority whip!

Bass counts in many ways people do not always seem to get.

All the speakers you mention are excellent.

Many of the suggested speakers are as well.

So why is your system lacking something? No subs.

Before you buy any new speaker rethink your "No room for subs" idea.

Get 4 subs in your 18 x 22 room's corners powered by their own amp.

I use small RELs. Paradigms are as good or better. Not really intrusive.

Yes, the wires are a hassle.

Once those are in and tuned well you likely will forget about new speakers.

+1 @ronboco 

They certainly do kick butt...rare to see any Rockports for sale

Yes lucky and dangerous 😳 Enjoy the quest 

@rsf507 I live in Miami…. I have one dealer that is a 15 min walk from my house, very dangerous and a dealer about 90 mins away….

@jomonhifi you seem extremely fortunate that you can hear all those speakers, where are you located? My guess is CA

I have not seen or heard these speakers. I don’t judge anything by you tube videos, but uncharacteristically, somehow, the sound of these new Qualio speakers came through, especially on the first Patricia Barber tune. I have to say that although they are not your standard box look, I think their form and color would work well in your room.  The 9.5" woofer puts out some serious sounding bass.

Wilson all the way!  Sasha or I bet you can get a great price on a pair of Wilson Alexia II that are previously owned via a dealer with a great warranty.  I have Alexia I’s with the Arc160S and the Ref6SE. Love, love, love the combination and sound. 
 

good luck and let us know how you make out!!

Beauty is “in the eye of the beholder” but as someone previously mentioned, moving around speakers of that size & quality once properly set up is not something that’s seems too realistic. They’re not likely going to weigh less 100 lbs & be less than 4’ x 1’ x1’ & w/ an easily damaged finish. 
 

Of course speakers & their sound are a matter of personal taste & most of the speakers mentioned that I’ve heard sound like good “hifi”but not like live music which is what I prefer. I’ve found that lower efficiency speakers, regardless of the heroic amps they’re paired, rarely if ever sound live to me.  They don’t have the dynamics, micro & macro, they live music has & you can instantly know it’s live. 
 

Some of the speakers I’ve heard & really enjoyed are: Legacy, some Bigger JBL’s, Avantgarde, Volti Audio, Acapella, Tannoy. 
 

Best of luck & I hope it doesn’t take 15 attempts to find your new “speaker of the house”!

I have KEF Reference 5’s. I mostly listen to 50’s-60’s jazz and they sound great to me. I do have an SVS SB2000 Pro, but I rarely use it.

All the best.

@carlsbad Thanks for the encouraging words...! 

I was finally able to hear the New Amati's properly yesterday....

@jomonhifi 

You will definitely want to add Rockport Avior ii speakers to your list. Or the Cygnus if budget allows. Rockport speakers are amazing and universally praised as one of the best speakers made. Good luck!

Ron 

@sc2 You beat me to it, the Legacy Aeris was the first thing that came to mind.

If you can, go listen to a pair of Vandersteen Kento. Absolutely blew me away. Airy highs without being piercing, natural mids, deep bass that wasn't boomy. What's really nice about them is that they have build in amplified subwoofers that you can tune to your room. Your dealer helps do it but can show you. 4 stars. Would recommend. 

@audphile1  You’re right…! Heavy equipment will be the death of me. I’m still sore from boxing up my 125lbs Serafino’s…!

I was able to finally demo the new SF Amati’s with my DAC and amp and I was pretty happy. 
 

hopefully next week I get to hear the Joseph Audio speakers. Not mad about Focals or B&W…. I can always pop the casters on the DAW’S…

anyway - I’m having a ball…. Thanks for your suggestions…!

@audioguy85 +1 for Tannoy Arden Legacy.

Get the Sasha’s and don't worry about upgrading, they sound great.

Beautiful cabinets....but if only the bass ’fade’ is your issue, why not a sub array?

Smaller cabs, inconspicuous, ’sly’,

Same system in the office?  Lucky you....*G*

Just curious....

Tannoy arden and you will have money left over for other things. Or go with the higher tier tannoy prestige line with the pepper pot tulip waveguide and alnico magnets...

you should have Vandersteens on your list of auditions...

Easy choice—Daedalus Audio Apollo 11s. Ticks all your boxes.