Speakers for small rooms.

[Harry.]

I thought there was a thread for this but it's disappeared! Ok so it's of little interest to those with vast expanses in which to site your Wilson Sashas and Dali Epicons but some of us do not have listening areas of Ponderosa proportions. I would be very interested to hear what speakers Devialet owners are using successfully in confined spaces - say 3 x 4 metres or thereabouts. 

I have recently moved my system to such a room and found my PMC Fact 8's excessive and much too forward. I have been using KEF LS 50's for a couple of weeks and have been hugely impressed. My only problem is that these are by far the cheapest component in my system. Surely I should be using something more expensive!  

The strange thing is, I think I could be quite happy with this set up. I am actually enjoying the music a lot on this smaller scale. I use SAM at 20% which really expands the bass output.

[Pim]

Sounds to me you've found the right speakers for your room. Unless you feel you're missing something...

[Harry.]

Sounds to me you've found the right speakers for your room. Unless you feel you're missing something...

It's that nagging doubt! I don't know if I am missing something. I must say however, I am about as satisfied as I've ever been with my system.

[MusicLover]

I thought there was a thread for this but it's disappeared! Ok so it's of little interest to those with vast expanses in which to site your Wilson Sashas and Dali Epicons but some of us do not have listening areas of Ponderosa proportions. I would be very interested to hear what speakers Devialet owners are using successfully in confined spaces - say 3 x 4 metres or thereabouts. 

I have recently moved my system to such a room and found my PMC Fact 8's excessive and much too forward. I have been using KEF LS 50's for a couple of weeks and have been hugely impressed. My only problem is that these are by far the cheapest component in my system. Surely I should be using something more expensive!  

The strange thing is, I think I could be quite happy with this set up. I am actually enjoying the music a lot on this smaller scale. I use SAM at 20% which really expands the bass output.

Ciao Harry,

I think you've just answered yourself. You sound like you are really enjoying your system! Just stick with it and see. I think it's natural to be curious about what works for others, but if you've found a combination that really works for you, just concentrate on the music and forget about the rig!

My space is about that size. Quite irregular in shape as it's open in the back and on the right side, with wooden ceiling (also quite irregular), and the Olympica II works marvellously! Very deep and wide soundstage and quite balanced tonally, very enjoyable, very close to the sweet spot of the Blue Note in Milano I must say, hehe

[Confused]

I thought there was a thread for this but it's disappeared! Ok so it's of little interest to those with vast expanses in which to site your Wilson Sashas and Dali Epicons but some of us do not have listening areas of Ponderosa proportions. I would be very interested to hear what speakers Devialet owners are using successfully in confined spaces - say 3 x 4 metres or thereabouts. 

I have recently moved my system to such a room and found my PMC Fact 8's excessive and much too forward. I have been using KEF LS 50's for a couple of weeks and have been hugely impressed. My only problem is that these are by far the cheapest component in my system. Surely I should be using something more expensive!  

The strange thing is, I think I could be quite happy with this set up. I am actually enjoying the music a lot on this smaller scale. I use SAM at 20% which really expands the bass output.

Try the new KEF Reference 1's for that small speaker joy without worrying that you haven't hammered you bank account enough.   

If you still find an annoying amount of cash left, there's always the Magico Q1's.

Joking apart, I am a bit of a fan of the LS50's, in fact I'm sure if they stared off at twice the list price, they would quite possibly have been taken even more seriously.  Without all the usually hifi SQ cliches, they are quite simply a really good listen.

[nicoludio]

@ Harry, yes, there was a thread on a similar situation, with a list of 3 speakers. That thread seems to have gone for a walkabout.

There was a mention of the Magico S1, which the threadstarter liked very much. Conversely, there is a newer thread where the OP disliked the S1 (in comparison to two other speakers, which I believe was the same mentioned in the "deleted" thread).

If you are happy with the LS50, why not stick with it? Better (?) speakers tend to be bigger and go deeper, which may create bass issues. Also, the coaxial driver in the LS50 ameliorates the need for a minimum listening distance (or the output from the drivers don't gel together).

Having said that, I quite like the Magico S1 (Q1 may be better but more than twice as expensive and a very different presentation from the S series). Depending on the depth of your pockets, the new Wilson Benesch Discovery 2 may also be a good bet. Ubiq Audio Model One sounded very interesting from a brief listen.

Good luck

[IanG-UK]

The KEF50's are great little speakers at £800 and, of course, you can SAM them.

Others to think about are the Boenicke W5 at £2,400 though it might be difficult to get a listen to them. I doubt they are SAM'ed.

You could also check out Andrew Jones' designs now he has moved from the £££££ price of the gear of his previous TAD employer to the £ price of the gear of his new Elac employer. Reviews of his first designs - B5 and B6 - have been very good.

I'm using Magico Q1s in, like you, a quite confined space though, of you know, these are pretty expensive.

[Harry.]

I thought there was a thread for this but it's disappeared! Ok so it's of little interest to those with vast expanses in which to site your Wilson Sashas and Dali Epicons but some of us do not have listening areas of Ponderosa proportions. I would be very interested to hear what speakers Devialet owners are using successfully in confined spaces - say 3 x 4 metres or thereabouts. 

I have recently moved my system to such a room and found my PMC Fact 8's excessive and much too forward. I have been using KEF LS 50's for a couple of weeks and have been hugely impressed. My only problem is that these are by far the cheapest component in my system. Surely I should be using something more expensive!  

The strange thing is, I think I could be quite happy with this set up. I am actually enjoying the music a lot on this smaller scale. I use SAM at 20% which really expands the bass output.

Ciao Harry,

I think you've just answered yourself. You sound like you are really enjoying your system! Just stick with it and see. I think it's natural to be curious about what works for others, but if you've found a combination that really works for you, just concentrate on the music and forget about the rig!

My space is about that size. Quite irregular in shape as it's open in the back and on the right side, with wooden ceiling (also quite irregular), and the Olympica II works marvellously! Very deep and wide soundstage and quite balanced tonally, very enjoyable, very close to the sweet spot of the Blue Note in Milano I must say, hehe

Thanks for the advice, which I have pretty much stuck to! I spent an enjoyable weekend listening to a lot of music, which is I guess the whole idea!

The Olympica looks fantastic and I am sure has sound quality to match. I think they may be too large for my room but I will try to see them and hear for myself.

[Harry.]

The KEF50's are great little speakers at £800 and, of course, you can SAM them.

Others to think about are the Boenicke W5 at £2,400 though it might be difficult to get a listen to them. I doubt they are SAM'ed.

You could also check out Andrew Jones' designs now he has moved from the £££££ price of the gear of his previous TAD employer to the £ price of the gear of his new Elac employer. Reviews of his first designs - B5 and B6 - have been very good.

I'm using Magico Q1s in, like you, a quite confined space though, of you know, these are pretty expensive.

I have just had a look at the Boenicke website because I'd not heard of these before. The larger designs are transmission line designs but I'm not sure about the small W5 model. Midland Audio Exchange happen to be one of the closer dealers to me, so I might actually get to listen to these and possibly the Q1's as well! The latter would require remortgaging of the house unfortunately.

[Cosmosound]

if 20% satisfies you quite that much, then you should stay put without any changes my friend