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Afraid to buy new speakers

I'm stuck with hideous acoustics that simply couldn't be worse, and I have to place speakers close to a concrete block wall. There's no getting around it. I have decent CD player and integrated amp recently bought new (NAD 365BEE) as well as a Parasound P3 and PS Audio HCA2. Given my sorry room configuration I fear any speaker I buy will be a mere shadow of itself in a different environment, and I cannot change this environment. I'm finding that a set of small monitors and a sub seems to work, but these speakers have their own limitations. I've got a max $3K budget for a pair of speakers, but read time and again how any speaker will sound like crap when their back panel is placed close to a wall. If true that kills anything and I might as well stick with my monitors or if I want to play really loud when the wife's out put my old Advent 2s on and launch the cones. Is there ANY speaker in the 2-3 thou range that is designed to function well close to a wall save an in-wall unit? I look at these long ribbons of 3-4" drivers and can't help but think they'll sound horrible, but who knows. I'm probably going to be here for some years, so I have to make the most of it.
rg500g
ebm
9,311 posts
 
Save your cash Keep on Truckin!!
onhwy61's avatar
onhwy61
5,216 posts
 
If your room acoustics are so horrible and you are also restricted in speaker placement, then why spend big bucks on a good speaker? It won't sound good and you'll be unhappy. In another thread you mention that you have a pair of old Celestions loudspeakers that sound decent and play loud enough. Keep them and accept them for what they are. For a more audiophile listening experience get a pair of good headphones ($500 to $1,500) and match it with a nice headphone amp, say $1,000. Headphones are headphones, but such a setup can match the detail and frequency response of $20,000+ loudspeakers.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Digital room correction?
courant
119 posts
 
Linn Majik 109s and Majik 140s are front-ported wall huggers designed to work in compact Tokyo apartments.

I own the 109s and have had them 3 to 5 inches from a wall and they worked fine.

Also, If you're able, consider getting an over sized oriental rug and attaching it to the concrete wall. It will improve the acoustics in the room tremendously, and it will look nicer too. :-)
rg500g OP
17 posts
 
I overcame my fear and budgetary sanity to buy a pair of Focal Aria 926s. No regrets now. I really tried to live with the Celestions and a Gallo sub, and could do so if I restricted myself to moderate listening levels (you can still talk over the speakers if you raise your voice but you don't have to yell), but once you ventured into Judas Priest SPL they turned into white hot lengths of coat hanger ramming into my ears. I was unwilling to compromise. So, I have two huge boxes in a little room and they can play beautifully at conversational levels or at debilitating loudness with no wincing when the music ascends into the treble region. I'm good with that.
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