Starting from scratch in a large room

@deertrail7, what are the horizontal and vertical dimensions of your 24" deep shelf?

The reason I ask is, in that size room adequate SPL capability and low-end air-moving capability are going to be an issue, and both of those tie back in to loudspeaker size.  So if shelf-mounting is your only realistic option for aesthetic concerns, the size of that shelf space becomes a factor.

Note that high-end recording studios sometimes flush-mount speakers in walls, so your situation may not be all that bad, assuming that a true flush-mount installation is feasible.

Duke

dealer/manufacturer

I think we're past the best advice offered up by @russ69, and @ghdprentice.

You may be happy with what you get, but it seems to be an inefficient use of spending money as pointed out. You may well enjoy the results going the other, suggested, direction.

Good luck, regardless; these are always fun projects.

@audiokinesis,

This post may read a bit differently from some of the above thread.  If your wooden countertop is situated along the 18 ft. wall, then your situation may not be nearly so dire.

If you can get say, 8-12 ft. of centered speaker separation and move your 13 ft listening position a bit closer, you may be okay.

Speaker selection and positioning will be key.   Speaker plane should be positioned at or slightly beyond the edge of the cabinet.  Flexibility for at least some tow-in will help.

Importantly, you should avoid using any open port rear-firing speakers.  Unfortunately, this may rule out your otherwise excellent choice of the KEF R3. However, a baffled rear port will allow close-wall placement.

I can speak to you with some confidence because my room is very similar, and over the course of time I’ve tried most permutations.  With some effort, You can set up a very effective near- and mid- field listening experience.  Try to think of your room as  say, 18 x 20, just without a back wall.  Listening in the back section may not be highly resolved stereo, but you can still rock out to good hifi sounds.

As for components, in lieu of my first wish to suggest Ayre Acoustics EX-8 2.0, ($8000) I think I instead have another strong recommendation for you to consider: 

Buchardt Audio S400 Mark II speakers ($2100), (amazing speakers, good for near wall) and 

Buchardt Audio I150 all-in-one integrated amplifier ($2000) minus $500 if bought with the speakers.  Check out the specifications and great reviews.

Buchardt will ship you the components to try out for 4 weeks.  100 bucks no hassle return. Then, for around $5k, some cables and possibly a sub or two, you might just be well on your way.  Good Luck!

 

 

 

 

 

@sandstone expensive cables at this point will be a total waste

@deertrail7 When you come to these forums and ask posters what to do, you are going to get all the biases of each poster. I would suggest doing research including, as a poster above suggested, googling good speakers against the wall. Then I would suggest finding speakers and equipment that you can try out and return if you don't like them. As merely suggestions, I went to an audio show a few months ago with just bookshelf speakers and the standouts, to me, were the Buchardt Audio S400 Mark II, the KEF R3s, the Totem Sky and the Philharmonic BMR Monitor. I don't know how they do on a bookshelf. With your budget, you could probably go way up the chain on these or other brands. I recall one YouTube reviewer raving about the Totem Element Fire. Some of these bookshelf speakers will get you down to 30 Hz and probably move some air. Then when you find your speaker you are going to have to match it with amp/integrated or preamp or mono blocks. Solid state or tube? So many decisions.