Speakers recommendation for 16sqm living room

[winiar560]

I am a proud owner of devialet 440 pro ( finally) for a while (thanks to one member of this forum) .

It all sounds very good with my actual speakers (audio physic virgo 5) but I think they are not playing to their full potential as my room is only 16 sq m. 

So now I am wondering if any of smaller speakers might be a better bet and show their full potential with my system in my small room?

All advice and info highly appreciated.

As for the sound I prefer is neutral with full of details ,big sound stage ,dynamic and controlled base and alot of air.
Must provide also hefty base but controlled.

Thanks
KW

[Marietto]

Before changing the speakers, you can evaluate the active ambient correction.
You can find a lot on the net and here on the forum.

https://www.homeaudiofidelity.com/

[David A]

Speakers/room interaction is a tricky area. When you suggest that your current speakers may not be showing their full potential because of the small size of your room you are effectively saying that the limiting factor in your setup is the room yet you're asking about changing speakers to something which will show its full potential in your current room. That means if you move and end up with a better room then you'll be looking at changing speakers again because it will be the speakers rather than the room which will be the limiting factor.

Have you thought about doing something about the room rather than the speakers? There's lots of options starting from playing with other speaker and listening position setups, playing with soft furnishings and/or acoustic treatments, electronic room "correction", or even a combination of two or more of those things. If you haven't tried any of those things then you can't be certain that your current speakers aren't capable of delivering more of their potential in your room than they currently are. Changing your speakers may not be the best way of getting the best results in your current room.

[winiar560]

Speakers/room interaction is a tricky area. When you suggest that your current speakers may not be showing their full potential because of the small size of your room you are effectively saying that the limiting factor in your setup is the room yet you're asking about changing speakers to something which will show its full potential in your current room. That means if you move and end up with a better room then you'll be looking at changing speakers again because it will be the speakers rather than the room which will be the limiting factor.

Have you thought about doing something about the room rather than the speakers? There's lots of options starting from playing with other speaker and listening position setups, playing with soft furnishings and/or acoustic treatments, electronic room "correction", or even a combination of two or more of those things. If you haven't tried any of those things then you can't be certain that your current speakers aren't capable of delivering more of their potential in your room than they currently are. Changing your speakers may not be the best way of getting the best results in your current room.

Hi.
I've already installed some acoustic treatment in my room and indeed it has made the biggest difference so far.
As for moving -i won't be and do not plan so in future so this option os out of consideration.

[Snoopy8]

I am puzzled. What is missing when you say "not to their full potential"? Were the speakers OK before you changed over to the Expert Pro?

Have you measured the room? In a small room, speaker and room interactions can have a major influence. Can you change the speaker and listening positions? A deeper understanding of the room will help improve things.

[devianet]

I interpreted the "not to full potential" bit to mean the effect experienced with some speakers which seem to need quite a bit of "juice" before they wake up and start to "sing". If this makes large speakers too loud in a small room, then that could be a problem.

Whereas, smaller speakers with this same effect are likely to be less loud when they start to "sing", and so could be more suited to a small room.

Amps can also have this same characteristic - disappointing sound at low levels - but not, in my experience, the Devialet amps.

[winiar560]

I am puzzled. What is missing when you say "not to their full potential"?  Were the speakers OK before you changed over to the Expert Pro?

Have you measured the room? In a small room, speaker and room interactions can have a major influence. Can you change the speaker and listening positions?  A deeper understanding of the room will help improve things.

All audiophiles advice have heard so far that my speakers are designed for bigger rooms at least over 20 to 30 sq m in size -and have a feeling they might be right.
My room is acoustically dificult as is also quite square at around 4m x 4m size with a bay window to the right ,small niche to the left of the speakers and an entry door back right of the listening space.

So far I have only measured the room digitally with an antimode device long time ago when the speakers was on the opposite wall the other way round.

As my sofa and listening room is located all the way to the back wall ,the listening position can't be changed (also from practical reasons).

The room is physically to small to have a play with listening position if that make it clearer.

I have not yet played with devialet sweet room.

I know from the past meassurements I have some room nodes at 50hz and another (forgot).

[winiar560]

I interpreted the "not to full potential" bit to mean the effect experienced with some speakers which seem to need quite a bit of "juice" before they wake up and start to "sing". If this makes large speakers too loud in a small room, then that could be a problem.

Whereas, smaller speakers with this same effect are likely to be less loud when they start to "sing", and so could be more suited to a small room.

Amps can also have this same characteristic - disappointing sound at low levels - but not, in my experience, the Devialet amps.

The 440 pro is the best amp I had so far(also better than d-premier).

And yes-my point is the size of the speakerphone correspond to size of the room not other way round.

Looking at the specs of my speakers ,size of the drivers, they are quite big beasts.

But taking all these into account they also the best sounding speakers I had in my room with devialet.

[Snoopy8]

My room is acoustically dificult as is also quite square at around 4m x 4m size with a bay window to the right ,small niche to the left of the speakers and an entry door back right of the listening space.

So far I have only measured the room digitally with an antimode device long time ago when the speakers was on the opposite wall the other way round.

As my sofa and listening room is located all the way to the back wall ,the listening position can't be changed (also from practical reasons).

The room is physically to small to have a play with listening position if that make it clearer.

Understand the challenges with your room. Room modes in a square room are particularly bad.  Not sure whether you have played with REW, but there is a room simulator which may help you a tweak your position of your speakers, and maybe convince you to bring your sofa slightly forward (even 0.5m may help?). 

The 440 pro is the best amp I had so far(also better than d-premier).

And yes-my point is the size of the speakerphone correspond to size of the room not other way round.

Looking at the specs of my speakers ,size of the drivers, they are quite big beasts.

But taking all these into account they also the best sounding speakers I had in my room with devialet.

I agree your speakers are large for the room.  But I doubt getting smaller speakers will improve things, especially when you consider the Virgo 5 to the best sounding speakers so far. As you already know, it is your room which is determining the sound quality.  I suggest you look at further treating the room and perhaps consider a streamer with room correction capability.

[winiar560]

My room is acoustically dificult as is also quite square at around 4m x 4m size with a bay window to the right ,small niche to the left of the speakers and an entry door back right of the listening space.

So far I have only measured the room digitally with an antimode device long time ago when the speakers was on the opposite wall the other way round.

As my sofa and listening room is located all the way to the back wall ,the listening position can't be changed (also from practical reasons).

The room is physically to small to have a play with listening position if that make it clearer.

Understand the challenges with your room. Room modes in a square room are particularly bad.  Not sure whether you have played with REW, but there is a room simulator which may help you a tweak your position of your speakers, and maybe convince you to bring your sofa slightly forward (even 0.5m may help?). 

The 440 pro is the best amp I had so far(also better than d-premier).

And yes-my point is the size of the speakerphone correspond to size of the room not other way round.

Looking at the specs of my speakers ,size of the drivers, they are quite big beasts.

But taking all these into account they also the best sounding speakers I had in my room with devialet.

I agree your speakers are large for the room.  But I doubt getting smaller speakers will improve things, especially when you consider the Virgo 5 to the best sounding speakers so far. As you already know, it is your room which is determining the sound quality.  I suggest you look at further treating the room and perhaps consider a streamer with room correction capability.

Thanks.
I was actually consodering a ddrc 22d dirac digital only correction to try soon but to be honest I'll try sweet room first because the only problem I can hear is the base.