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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
pokey77
1,269 posts
 
@yyzsantabarbara 

Saying the TAD ME-1 is a better version of the KEF R1 is very much understating the ME-1. The ME-1, for me, blows away anything in its price range; it is very sweet with sublime clarity, has a big soundstage, very high resolution (with the right supporting equipment), and for its size, excellent bass. The ME-1 and the HSL5+ are both much more musical in my opinion and would be the better bet for listening 8+ hours everyday.
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,996 posts
 
@pokey77  Don't tell me this, now I have to go hear it.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,141 posts
 
Well..... I do have Chinatown ( disc 4 of Vagabonds, Kings, warriors, Angels box set.....
)
honestly I think a pair of JBL L-100 reissue would be fine....

 From the perspective of / as a sometime recording engineer my reference system lays bare this mix...not knocking it... I get the emotional drive ( after all, I do own the box set )
i took it out into the workshop with Cornwall’s.... and a romantic tube amp....
much better....,
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
13,141 posts
 
But thanks for the memory and  unusual for me I have the model 7’s and amps cranking up Cowboy Song at 100 dB peaks....
with a nice glass of Rye......
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,996 posts
 
I emailed a local dealer who carries Harbeth SHL5+, TAD Me1, and KEF. Reference 1. I described my situation and included photos of my room. He is not big on DSP so he is steering me towards an all analog solution. Which is fine and my preferred approach, though the DSP with the Lyngdorf  will be the fall back approach. I am sure that DSP will work given my conversations with various folks here and the Lyngdorf dealer I spoke too.

This dealer said that he has sold both Harbeth SHL5+  and TAD Me1 systems to people with similar sized rooms. However, he said that room treatments were required to make the sound perfect. He suggested a room treatment company that seemed rather expensive so I started looking around. He did say that the KEF Reference 1 would be a little too big for my room (without DSP correction).

The first company I called was the one mentioned by @tomic601 , Lamvin in Oceanside. They told me to try some wall panels right behind my seating position that would cost about $1000. 

The other company I located has an interesting mobile panel that would be preferable because I would not have to make holes in the wall. Here is the link for that.
https://artnovion.com/categories/2-residential-hi-fi

I will upload some photos of my room if anyone is interested in seeing it. My room is messy still since I am moving into this house.

Can anyone give some advice on these panels. I am ready to buy the room treatment now and have that in place before my auditions next month with the Harbeth. I will also go to hear the TAD at the dealers demo room.
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