Big, big room -- which 10-20k speakers?


I just moved into a house in which my listening room will be about 35 x 35 with 17-foot ceilings, with double-story double-pane glass windows on two sides. I will be running a Luxman 509u intergrated amp, a Sony XA777ES, and a Luxman PD371 with a Miyajima Shilabe. Cables are a mix of old Nordost Valhala and newer Kubala-Sosna Emotion. I know it all seems fragmented but I just moved back to the US after a decade living in Tokyo so these are bits and pieces assembled over there.

I am considering a variety of used speakers that can be purchased for 10-20k, namely the Revel Ultima Salons 2s, Rockport Mira Grand II, Aerial Accoustics 20T (I should mention I had 10Ts in the 90s and loved them) and YG Anat Studio II.

I'd love any thoughts on which speakers would perform best in the room given it's size and reflectivity, and given my rather odd electronics. Thanks very much for your advice!
rr999

Showing 1 response by p59teitel

Just some general thoughts on each of the five speakers you've mentioned:

a) Revel Salon 2s: I own these and am very familiar with them - see my virtual system for more info. Pros: soundstaging is outstanding - they disperse very well and so your sweet spot is expanded, a considerable asset if you seek to move about your large room. And certainly capable of filling your room. Also they are very neutral speakers that should do well in your glassy room. Cons: they are not very efficient and would quite likely require more power than what your Luxman would provide, especially in a room that size. A few have complained that they are lifeless, although I do not agree.

b) Wilson Sasha: Have heard these on several occasions. Pros: very nice in well-treated rooms. Excellent, propulsive mid-bass and very extended treble. "Front-row" sound if that is what you are looking for. A little easier to drive than the Salon 2s. Cons: not a paragon of neutrality. Humped in the bass and treble, and that latter quality may make them fatiguing in a glassy room. Don't soundstage as well as the Salon 2s, nor is dispersion as good. But they might have been my choice for a man cave.

c) Aerial 20T: have only heard once. Pros: good bass when properly fed (like the Salon 2s, they seem to need to feed). Very good midrange coherence. Cons: tweeter did not seem to disperse well, so restricted sweet spot.

d) YG Anat Studio II: have not heard. Plenty of reviews of them both from publications (which seem to like them) and show attendees (mixed bag, some say they are grainy and/or lifeless while others think they are neutral and/or revealing).

e) Rockport Mira Grand II: have not heard (but I would like to). Not generally a D'Appolito configuration fan myself, but both pro reviews and blogs from people attending shows seem pretty uniformly positive.