Big speakers, are they really the best way to get great sound?

All your post made sense thanks but for 2 points....

It is possible to enjoy an immersive inclusive soundstage engulfing the listener with swmall speakers ..

I know it because i enjoy it ...

The reason why you did not observe it is because you think that nearfield listening dont need acoustic control of the smaller room as with bigger speakers ion a bigger room ... Sorry but it is not the case ... Even in near listening in a small room the timing of the waves , the pressure zone distribution , the crosstalk control between speakers , any acoustic factor matter as much as with bigger speakers in bigger room ...

The Grandeur of Large Speakers:

1. Immersive Soundstage:

Large speakers, especially when paired with substantial upstream gear, have the capacity to create an expansive and immersive soundstage. This can be captivating, particularly for those who appreciate the feeling of being enveloped by music.

There is no fatigue with bigger speakers in a bigger room if all acoustic factors are in control ...

2. Long-term Listenability:

The overwhelming nature of a large speaker system might make it less suitable for long-term listening, as you noted. The sheer power and impact may be too much for extended sessions, leading to listener fatigue.

I totally agree with your wise conclusion :

Personal Preference Matters:

Your preference for near-field listening in a small room is a valid and common choice. The intimacy, precision, and comfort of such a setup align with the preferences of many audiophiles. Ultimately, the "best" audio system is a deeply personal choice, influenced by individual taste, listening habits, and the desired emotional connection with the music. Whether it's the grandeur of a large speaker system or the intimacy of a near-field setup, the key is to find a configuration that brings joy and satisfaction to the listener.

I agree with him saying “Every speaker above 50 Hertz is a small speaker” in below video. It doesn’t have to be large speakers for a big room. My system consists 5.24” woofer 2way speakers with 8” powered sub. I am very happy. Alex/Wavetouch

What are the differences between a speaker and a subwoofer?

Cantate Domino - Hosianna, Wavetouch audio live recording

@mahgister wrote:

It is possible to enjoy an immersive inclusive soundstage engulfing the listener with swmall speakers ..

I know it because i enjoy it ...

@mihorn wrote:

I agree with him saying “Every speaker above 50 Hertz is a small speaker” in below video. It doesn’t have to be large speakers for a big room. My system consists 5.24” woofer 2way speakers with 8” powered sub. I am very happy.

An individual enjoying/being happy about the sound from a small speaker system is all well and important to the one feeling this way about it, but "enjoyment" here is no measure in itself when it comes to assessing the true capabilities against a larger, more physically all-out speakers system and the traits that follow here. And no, no acoustics fiddling or trickery will change that.

Different ways to skin your cat, as they say, and priorities I can deal with, but diminishing the importance of physics of speakers (i.e.: size and efficiency) and effectively saying "a small, inefficient speaker package compensated perhaps with more power will do the same (or "enough") as the larger, more efficient combo" is being delusional. Sorry, but that’s the way it is. In vital, related parameters small, low efficiency speakers won’t do the same, not by a mile or even in a relatively small listening space, and anybody who’s intricately familiar with a well implemented, large displacement and true full-range speaker system that’s wholly effortless in its entire frequency range at any desirable SPL - and it needn’t be placed in a large environment to properly come together as such (in fact I favor a moderately sized locale) - will know full well it’s an experience unique to this segment of speakers. If one can do without this kind of experience and feels no need to pursue it, perfectly fine, but what’s enough and enjoyable to some (with small speakers) only tells you about their priorities, perceptions and particular context.

Refusing to acknowledge the importance, and to begin with the very existence of parameters like uninhibited dynamics, scaling, ease, true full-range abilities, physicality of presentation and this wash of immersion one simply cannot attain from a smaller speaker package, is not seeing things for what they are and can be. I’m not trying to impose anything onto others, and each to their own and all that jazz, but let’s not fool ourselves.

phusis

"enjoyment" here is no measure in itself when it comes to assessing the true capabilities against a larger, more physically all-out speakers system and the traits that follow here. And no, no acoustics fiddling or trickery will change that.

I see your system and I understand why you believe that. Then I want to hear the truth. Do you have a live recording of your system online? Alex/Wavetouch