Wall Hugging w/Imaging & Depth?


I know it is difficult to do, but what speakers out there are able to deliver solid imaging and soundstage depth but yet comfy when placed close to a wall. Certianly a WAF issue many have tryied to master. What are some of the better options out there? Say a price range of below $10K/pr new.

jeff in Detroit
jbryngelson
start with designs that are front ported and check mfg. website to see if close to wall placement will work. as long as you aren't putting speakers into a corner (amplifies bass) you should find something..there are also loudspeakers designed to be place in corners
There are more factors than just the speaker design that will determine the qualities you're looking for. Room treatments could help the cause tremendously. Electronics will have impact on soundstage as well. Consider also an asymmetric corner placement as an excellent option (depending upon the room of course) for placement issues. One of the most innovative speaker designs I heard at the recent CES that were very designed to deliberately diffuse room-related issues with placement were the very unusual looking Gradient Helsinki, which were recently reviewed in TAS. They sounded excellent at CES and offered some rather unconventional solutions for addressing room placement. Their imaging was top notch. Check out the review in TAS and see if they'd be a contender. WAF would be a make-it or break-it factor in these speakers as they are highly unusual looking. You may also want to list the rest of your system, or at least which amps you are using, so that others may tailor suggestions accordingly.
Try to audition a pair of Naim SL-2 loudspeakers.
Naim speakers are designed to be utilized very close to
front walls. Should be well within your budget.
Good luck!
Vmk