@op I have pretty much the exact same setup in my 2nd room. 10 x 14 with speakers on the long wall. I have gone through many pairs of speakers there and my favorites in that kind of space so far are ATC SCM11 v2’s or the smaller SCM 7’s. They are sealed and work very very well up against the front wall. They can be had used for just under your $1500 budget. You could then add a subwoofer in one of the corners to fill out the bass at some point if you want to (moreso with the SCM 7's).
Versatile, non-fatiguing speakers for a small room under $1500 used or new: advice needed!
Hi, first post here! And not a very original one, my apologies!:)
So after years of listening to music through miscellaneous mid-fi solutions, I am finally thinking about dipping my toes in hi-fi audio and putting together a dedicated stereo setup. Currently I am looking at speakers, and my head is already aching from the abundance of options, so I am looking for suggestions from you guys, primarily from those of you who have had first-hand experience building a stereo in a small room like mine and achieved results they are happy with.
My room is pretty small (approx. 13’ x 10’), and I will be placing my speakers along the long wall. My listening position will be 6 feet away, give or take; plus the speakers will have to sit fairly close to the front wall. 15 inches from the back of the speaker would be nice, but if needed, I definitely I could move them out farther into the room (up to 20 inches from the back of the speaker), for listening sessions and then move them back again. There are several rows of shelves , filled with CDs and stuff, in the middle of the back wall above my head (not wall-to-wall though) - would that work as dispersion? I’m thinking of applying some room treatment behind the speakers, and on the right-hand side wall as well (if needed) - on the left hand side is a window covered with thick curtains.
Budget: under $1500 used or new.
I listen to all kinds of music, primarily rock of all eras and subgenres (blues/folk/prog/hard/art/psych/indie, etc), jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, singer-songwriters, female vocal, 80s new wave/post punk, some heavy metal. So the speakers need to be as versatile as possible. As someone who likes rock music, the bass is important, but I live in an apartment (neighbors!), so I have to find the right balance there as I don’t want to overload the room - the bass has to be there but under control and not boomy. I want as big a sound as possible in my small room without overpowering it. In general, I’m looking for engaging, non-fatiguing, dynamic sound with good midrange and tone, with enough punch to rock out when needed, nuance to play softer, more sparse types of music, and resolution so the details in fast complex passages don’t get lost or smeared. Not a fan of excessive brightness, sibilance, or harshness in the upper midrange.
I’m primarily looking at standmounts, but maybe certain smaller floorstanders would be fine? I’ve seen opinions claiming floorstanders are the way to go, regardless of the size of the room. What do you think would be preferable in my situation - apartment with neighbors, 13’x10’ room, long wall positioning, distance to speakers about 6 feet, maybe less?
Thanks!
So after years of listening to music through miscellaneous mid-fi solutions, I am finally thinking about dipping my toes in hi-fi audio and putting together a dedicated stereo setup. Currently I am looking at speakers, and my head is already aching from the abundance of options, so I am looking for suggestions from you guys, primarily from those of you who have had first-hand experience building a stereo in a small room like mine and achieved results they are happy with.
My room is pretty small (approx. 13’ x 10’), and I will be placing my speakers along the long wall. My listening position will be 6 feet away, give or take; plus the speakers will have to sit fairly close to the front wall. 15 inches from the back of the speaker would be nice, but if needed, I definitely I could move them out farther into the room (up to 20 inches from the back of the speaker), for listening sessions and then move them back again. There are several rows of shelves , filled with CDs and stuff, in the middle of the back wall above my head (not wall-to-wall though) - would that work as dispersion? I’m thinking of applying some room treatment behind the speakers, and on the right-hand side wall as well (if needed) - on the left hand side is a window covered with thick curtains.
Budget: under $1500 used or new.
I listen to all kinds of music, primarily rock of all eras and subgenres (blues/folk/prog/hard/art/psych/indie, etc), jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, singer-songwriters, female vocal, 80s new wave/post punk, some heavy metal. So the speakers need to be as versatile as possible. As someone who likes rock music, the bass is important, but I live in an apartment (neighbors!), so I have to find the right balance there as I don’t want to overload the room - the bass has to be there but under control and not boomy. I want as big a sound as possible in my small room without overpowering it. In general, I’m looking for engaging, non-fatiguing, dynamic sound with good midrange and tone, with enough punch to rock out when needed, nuance to play softer, more sparse types of music, and resolution so the details in fast complex passages don’t get lost or smeared. Not a fan of excessive brightness, sibilance, or harshness in the upper midrange.
I’m primarily looking at standmounts, but maybe certain smaller floorstanders would be fine? I’ve seen opinions claiming floorstanders are the way to go, regardless of the size of the room. What do you think would be preferable in my situation - apartment with neighbors, 13’x10’ room, long wall positioning, distance to speakers about 6 feet, maybe less?
Thanks!
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- 107 posts total
Here is an interesting option, assemble the speakers yourself to keep the cost down. Priced at £1500 which is over your limit (becuase the USD is falling) but might be worth considering. I have not heard them but is thinking that they might suit me in a few years if I move to an appartment. https://www.falconacoustics.co.uk/imf-completeathome-loudspeaker-systems-falcon/imf-100-completeatho... |
I really enjoy my ATC SCM7’s in my bedroom system. Very neutral and easy to drive. ATCs really check all my boxes - neutral, generally non fatiguing, sealed. Interestingly you say they are easy to drive - I've mostly read the opposite. What do you drive them with? Also, I believe the newer-version ATCs (v.2; v.3) should be superior to the old ones? |
While they are not very sensitive around 82-84db and require a fair bit of power, they have a pretty easy impedance curve and nominal impedance around 8 ohms ... from https://www.stereophile.com/content/atv-scm7-v3-loudspeaker-measurements .... "the ATC won’t present any drive difficulty to the partnering amplifier." I have run all of SCM7’s, SCM11’s and SCM19’s on a Belles Aria 80wpc integrated without issue. Also note that with a room of 10'x13' one does not need a ton of power to fill it. The SCM7 v3’s are a wee bit more open and image a wee bit better than the SCM11 v2’s, but I would get a used pair of SCM11’s with more punch and a solid bass foundation (even if not very deep). |
- 107 posts total