Room size & choosing speakers

Thank-you - all of this feedback is so, so helpful. I have been obsessing and scouring this website and the internet trying to sort this out, and getting direct feedback is very helpful. My system will be confined to my 10' x 12' office and plan to be here for many years & hoping to get a system that will last.

I bought a system 15 yrs ago with cj amp/pre-amp (pv-14 & MF-2500) and Aerial 7B loudspeakers & have had so many hours of amazing music out of it, but when I moved it this house I could never get it to sound right in my livingrooom. I brought a pair of B & W pm-1 for my home office and ended up pairing them with my cj amp/pre-amp and have been very impressed with the B & W PM-1's - the sound staging delights and boggles me, and gives me the bug to step up.

I have listened to the McIntosh/B & W Diamond combination at a local audio store and am deeply moved by what they create. I loved the fullness/overtones of the 803D's over the 805D's, but given everybody's advice will let go of the 803D's. I have listened to the Dynaudio C1 & the Sonus Farber Cremona Monitor Audio at other stores (with less expensive amp/pre-amp combinations) and neither sounded close to the B & W 805, 803, 802.

My goal is to first figure out the speakers, and then sort out the amp/pre-amp/source issues - it is all very confusing, so any ideas are very welcome. I worry about spending so much more on electronics than speakers, and the McIntosh/B & W combination sounded so much better than others I have tried so far. One dealer suggested that I come in and try the audio physic virgo 25.

All help is greatly appreciated,

The limitation of B&W is still there crossovers. You never wil get the deep and wide stage as only in the best highend. For the absolute sound this is a pre. I did not go for the 800D I was irritated by the stage. Listening to your music with a stage which is 5 metres behind your speakers and more than 1 metre beside is superior to any small stage imaging. You never will get this level of excitment. I owned the best B&W for years and I know were I am talking about. Audio Physic has the same problem. I sold it for over 8 years.

when c1s and sonus faber dont sound close to bowers that means amp and cabling where not up to their level...allthough i like bowers but i have to be sick to buy them infront dyns and sonus(serblin models only)...no matter how much all 3 speakers sound different...i advice you to match c1s with high current high wattage quality amp and faster cabling(like any dyns) and they will shine...then decide...you must spend money on rest electronic and cabling to make any speakers sound their best...it would be shame for any little better speakers not to work their potential becuz of inferior amp IMO...

You can spend you money only once. Just take a much time as you need. It is a lot of fun listening before you buy. Just enjoy it. I did a comparisson with the C1 and the Pl-100 from Monitor Audio. Stage of the Pl-100 was wider and deeper. Response was faster and more tight than the C1. You could hear more detals with the Pl-100. Always use amps which can give a deep and wide stage. Because you are in the price range were it is possible. Only fools go for a 2-dimensional sound. Often caused by not enough knowledge or less knowledge of the shops.

To be sure, monitors are the way to go under your circumstnces. While the Mac/B&W is a nice pairing, IMHO, better results can be had. As a threshold matter, I suggest integrating a sub from the outset (e.g., JL F110 would be plenty in 10x12 room), particularly as you are considering the C50, with all its tone controls across the full spectrum, etc. The C1 (and other monitors), far outclasses the 805D. I have paired the MC452 with Linn Akurate 212 (with JL F112) to great results. To me (with all the caveats about my space/ears/system), the Akurate 212 also is in a different league than the B&W monitor. That combination raised the roof in our listening space that is 3X the size of your room. Enjoy the search, and good luck.