Speakers for a Large Room (20’x37’)


Open concept listening space with speakers on one short wall and kitchen at the other end.  Furniture about fifteen feet from speakers.  I assume I'll need large speakers and am considering Klipsch Cornwalls as well as Tannoy Ardens, but open to suggestions.  I also assume standmounts are too small for the space.  I should mention I mostly listen at low to moderate sound levels, occasionally cranking it if the wife is out.   Thanks for any input.

doni

@doni Are you planning on using the Pass 30.8 amp or changing to whatever you decide is a good match for the speakers? Many of the speakers mentioned would benefit from more power; some prefer SS or tubes. 

As to personal opinions:

I prefer the better Tannoys to Klipsches for more natural tone and more transparency. The Klipsch are strong in terms of lively, "jumping out of the speaker", but lack attributes of many of the best speakers.

Of all the dynamic speaker options, Vandersteen 5 or 7 are fantastic and are more tuneable to your specific room than most. Hard to go wrong, and even if you change direction later, resale value is among the most stable of all brands.

But if it were my money, Soundlabs are the ticket. IMHE, head and shoulders better than the suggested Maggies, which I've heard many times in many systems. Soundlabs do require relatively high power, as do the bigger Maggies, so take that into consideration. You should have seen the jawdrop of my 20.7-owning friend when he heard my 30yr old Sounlabs!

One other option, sort of off the beaten path is the Classic Audio Reproductions line. @atmasphere is well versed on the subject! I've heard them at shows doing a fantastic job in huge rooms. 

Cheers,

Spencer

 

@sbank I'll probably use the 30.8 during the colder months and then switch to Belles Aria separates when it gets hot here in the Southeast.  My tube amps are all low power (<10wpc).  Then there's always Class D.  Which Tannoys would you recommend for my space?

@doni The Tannoys I've heard & liked are the Turnberry & Kensington, but they also have other models specifically designed for large rooms. Maybe someone who has compared those can comment. Cheers, 

Spencer

One other option, sort of off the beaten path is the Classic Audio Reproductions line.

We've done ballrooms with the Classic Audio Loudspeakers T-1 and T-3. With that room size using those speakers I'd recommend 100 watts if you plan to crank it up. That would be true of any of the Tannoys as well. If you have a Klipsh corner horn set you might get by with 20-30 watts. That's a big room- you don't want to push the amp hard if you want the best sound- it makes a difference!