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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
cortes
34 posts
 
@ yyzsantabarbara ,

I’m looking for something similar to you: small office, and low/moderate volume levels. I read, and read, really nothing conclusive.

At this moment, some quality active monitors like the Genelec 8331/8341 look the best option for me. They have real engineering behind, not the typical garage speaker. In addition, they have sophisticated room correction that should remove issues with the bass. However, there is not enough feedback in the audiophile forums, just in the professional ones. Audiophile forums only care about the bigger Kii and Dutch&Dutch, or the less sophisticated LS50.

In the passive front, the Focal Sopra 1 are something I’m looking at, but these look more difficult to place, and I’m worried about the minimal listenning distance, which should be small in small rooms.

What option is better for musical joy, I’ve no idea.


ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
yyz, fully understand.  In the past I've used full range speakers in smaller rooms like yours and never felt I was missing anything or that the bass was too much for the room as I listened at lower levels (ti was a second system for me), but I fully understand where you are coming from.  Even visually you can be overwhelmed by a floor stander in a small room even though the footprint can similar.

I heard the KEF LS50W.  I may sell my Linn Kiko system for these if I can figure out video switching, lol.  

I got a quick listen to the small ref that you are looking at. Nice speaker.

I really enjoy the Harbeth's.  To my ear they are just a wonderful sounding speaker.  They are what they are. Not the last statement on anything, but they make anything fun to listen to.  

TAD are much more money as you said. Do they give you that much more enjoyment?  If so and you dont' care about the money, then.....

All good choices, so you can't go wrong with any. Figure out which ones have synergy with your system as that's the most important thing right now as you narrowed to three choices.  Good luck. Fun thread.
ctsooner's avatar
ctsooner
2,480 posts
 
yyz, fully understand.  In the past I've used full range speakers in smaller rooms like yours and never felt I was missing anything or that the bass was too much for the room as I listened at lower levels (ti was a second system for me), but I fully understand where you are coming from.  Even visually you can be overwhelmed by a floor stander in a small room even though the footprint can similar.

I heard the KEF LS50W.  I may sell my Linn Kiko system for these if I can figure out video switching, lol.  

I got a quick listen to the small ref that you are looking at. Nice speaker.

I really enjoy the Harbeth's.  To my ear they are just a wonderful sounding speaker.  They are what they are. Not the last statement on anything, but they make anything fun to listen to.  

TAD are much more money as you said. Do they give you that much more enjoyment?  If so and you dont' care about the money, then.....

All good choices, so you can't go wrong with any. Figure out which ones have synergy with your system as that's the most important thing right now as you narrowed to three choices.  Good luck. Fun thread.
gdnrbob
4,460 posts
 
I am a little late to this thread.
But, knowing ctsooner (I own his old Treo's). I have to say, that they will not 'overwhelm' you listening area. Period.
To add to your confusion, let me add that I also have an office (10x10x8) and am using the Vandy VLR's with a pair of HSU subs. I have to say it plays very nicely. I have the speakers mounted near the ceiling and directed toward my desk-so nearfield listening. Non fatiguing, and very engaging. I wouldn't call it the best setup, but for work it certainly is more than most.
 
My Treo/2wq setup resides in my LR/DR (12x18x8-speakers near the middle-9', and about 2 feet from the walls). Actually, it is a bit more complex than that, but you'd need a picture. Suffice it to say, they aren't in the 'best' of spots.
To my ears, the Treo's sound as natural and unassuming as a speaker can be. 
I hate to be confined to a single area when I listen. In fact, my main seat is almost directly in front of the left speaker. I don't hear that speaker beaming directly at me, but a full sound stage. An imaginary hall that emanates between/behind the speakers. 
I can sing praises for these speakers for a long time, but the choice is yours. If you like, I can give you more details, rather than hijack a thread.
Bob


yyzsantabarbara OP
4,975 posts
 
@gdnrbob Thanks for your feedback. You may not have seen the photo of my room on the virtual systems section. My room is rather full of stuff and it will have more soon once the 9 GIK room treatments arrive.

Some of the larger speakers mentioned here will stay in my memory bank for my next audio project (later in 2019). My wife and I are in agreement that we want to get some music downstairs where the baby plays all day. We both feel music is important in a person’s life and my baby loves music like the old man. So in that light I will also start thinking about a floor stander for the rather large space downstairs. It is 21’L x 17’W x 18’H. This room also opens up to another large family room perpendicular to it. We are going to put a large speaker in what it essentially the baby’s play room. This speaker may get beaten up my kid but so what.

Since I am rather settled on my speaker choices for my office I started rereading some reviews of integrated’s that I am interested in. The sound that I am trying to improve on include:

1) Remove some rare fatigue from the LS50s in my room via treatments. I expect a bigger speaker to have fatigue in my untreated room (100%). I am very sensitive to this. BTW - opening up my room entrance door is an amazing upgrade to my room (thanks to GIK for that one).

2) I want a large sound stage (as large as the room can accommodate) with focused images and placement of performers in the stage.

3) I want the speakers to disappear.

I know the things I have listed are a function of the complete system working in synergy with the speaker, electronics and room. Reading some reviews of the integrated’s I am interested in was interesting because some of the reviews stated the occurrence of #2 and #3. So I think I am on the correct path.

Luxman 509x - have not heard yet, but I know where to hear it with my preferred list of speakers

Hegel H590 - have not heard yet, no local dealers have it yet. I have heard top of the line Hegels with KEF Blade (also H360) and l liked them a lot. Liked the top end Luxman more than the Hegel’s I heard but the H590 is supposed to be a different kind of animal from Hegel. Considering buying this unheard, especially for downstairs.

Mark Levinson 585 - have heard and liked it a lot. It does #2 and #3 well with Magico A3’s

Mark Levinson 5805 (not heard yet, maybe not released yet)

Krell i300 - may look into this one too, a local KRELL dealer I visited in the past should have this. The price and connectivity are the best of all the integrated’s on my list.

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