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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
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,912 posts
 
I received the GIK panels and have installed them without knowing what I am doing. Once I  contact the GIK rep tomorrow and get the placement done with his guidance I will post some new photos. 

I though I would post some thoughts the GIK rep gave me when we were evaluating my room.

"Thanks for the pictures. That worked well and they were very clear...all good there.

I agree with you that getting the room right without digital correction is always better. I've never liked what it does to the transient response even though it is pretty amazing when it's right.

Your room has a unique setup that makes it a little tough to be completely systematic about the placement of treatment (corners, first reflections, ceiling, back wall, front wall) and I feel like the best approach would be to strategically place our treatments where we can fit them and where we can maximize their effectiveness. Most of our panels mount on the walls on picture hooks (they hang like pictures) but since you don't want to make holes on the wall, I'll only offer FreeStanding panels instead. I'll assume that you would not want to treat the ceiling, based on this information?

I suspect that your lack of bass is partially because of your seated location being in front of an untreated closet. That combined with your distance from the front and back walls are probably contributing as well. Adequate bass trapping will only help.

The most important thing will be to add some bass trapping wherever we can fit it. After that I would then treat the sidewalls. We should really hang something on the wall behind your head too to make the listening position a little more neutral. A panel on the door and the sidewalls could help too.
"

yyzsantabarbara OP
4,912 posts
 
My wife walked into my office just now and almost busted a gut laughing at my panels. She is a normal person. The best reaction to my audio stuff occurred when my sister and her husband came to visit my bachelor pad in the Bay Area. As you open the front door you are greeted by the 3CPOish Revel Salon 1. She looked at the speaker with her eyes just amazed and first thing she said looking at her husband, "don’t you get any ideas".

Now back to regular programming:
The sound with the panels is rather spectacular already. I am currently playing Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins. This was the disk that I mentioned was real tough to listen to a few weeks ago. Now back to back listens have been real comfortable without any fatigue.

The sound is so much better now. The bass is better the imaging is better. The system actually sounds bigger and the speakers are disappearing real well. Makes me question my desire to get a big floor stander in here. I need to think this over some more. Give it some time for this excitement to wear off.

I spoke with someone who has also demoed the Pesona 3F and he was telling me that the Persona 3F for 8 hours a day maybe a bad thing. Now this is the same thing I said to my dealer after the demo. I did however say I loved how it sounded in the 1 hour we listened. Nothing is settled with me on the Persona. So far it is the leading contender because I think it sounded the best, but there are a few more speakers to go.

I may have to also rethink my decision on the TAD ME1. Considering the great sound of the LS50 today. An uber stand mount like the TAD ME1 maybe great in this room even WITHOUT DSP.

Anyways, things are progressing in a very positive way.

BTW - heard some new music I like a few days ago on KCRW. Sister Disco - Disco Royale (on Tidal). They have a 3 song EP.
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,912 posts
 
Wow this is how music is supposed to sound. I did not think the LS50s could sound this good. Always had bad rooms.
audiotroy's avatar
audiotroy
3,817 posts
 
YYstantabarbera, the Persona's are not fatiguing if the demo is dialed in with the right gear which includes sources and cabling.

If you let us know how the dealer was setting up the Personas, and what gear he sells we can recommend a possibly different setup with the Persona's that will knock your socks off.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ Persona and Kef dealers
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,912 posts
 
@audiotroy The Personas were NOT fatiguing in the 1 hour I listened to them with the correct gear. The Lyngdorf pre and the Simaudio 860A amp. I really loved it. I think I could get the gear sorted out to make it sound even better. I do have concerns about listening for 8+ hours. Just a hunch and until I do so I will not know for certain.

I do not know if you are paying attention to this thread but today after my GIK treatments my system (Peachtree Nova and KEF LS50) are sounding the best they ever have sounded. I could listen all night to this. I am going to listen to the room treatments I now have with the LS50’s for a few weeks and think over this idea of me requiring a floor stander, maybe I won’t. The TAD ME1 with stands is $10K MSRP today. A lot of things are changing. Some exciting amps are also being released very soon.

Getting back to the Persona. I was really impressed by them. I actually understand your posts about them. I may even agree they could be better than the KEF Blades which I love. I have room downstairs for either a Blade or 9H and I know you have both for demo. I also know that you guys know how to show these speakers. However, as I mentioned before that downstairs system is for another day and I will not need the type of effort I am putting into this office system to make that one sound great.

BTW - For the last few days, I have been thinking about the T+A HV amp with a DSP streamer for a floorstander. The T+A is on A'gon for $9K. There is also the new CODA amp that Teajay is raving about. The new Krell u are raving about. A lot of options.
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