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Size matters...need smaller speakers

It pains me to write this but alas I have finally accepted the fact that I am never going to have my own large listening room (not with real estate prices the way they are here in SoCal). The best I can hope for is my current corner of the living room or my yet to be built loft or a small den. For those of you who have read some of my posts, you know I love my Usher BE-10 speakers. They are some of the most accurate and transparent speakers I have heard. The problem is that I think they are just too big for the space I have alloted them. In the past year, I have complained a lot about my soundstaging issues (too low, too narrow). I know I can use room treatments but this is not possible in my living room and even with them, I still feel that my speakers are too darn big. I tried different toe in angles, pulling them out as far as I could, moving them away from side walls, etc. There is simply not enough room for them to breathe. Will monitors work better in smaller spaces, especially with regard to imaging and soundstaging? I think perhaps monitors with a sub could be the right way for me to go given my domestic situation.

Anyway, I do not know much about monitors and would appreciate a starting point. I prefer my speakers to be as accurate and transparent as possible. I prefer a dynamic sound that is true to the upstream components. Price does not really matter but I guess for monitors I would hope to spend less than $10K. One option is the new Usher "tiny dancer" monitor. Another is the Focal BE series. Are there others I should look that fit my preferences?

Thanks in advance.
128x128tboooe

Showing 1 response by emailists

emailists
923 posts
 
I'm a little confused. Looking at your system pictures, it doesn't seem like the speakers are *that* crowded or close to the back walls. It seems like a fairly typical non dedicated room where the speakers have 2-3 feet around them. Have you heard the BE-10 with your same electronics in a larger space that sounded significantly better?

This situation is of extreme interest to me since I am also in a small space here in NYC.

I am currently using monitors on stands that are only a few feet from the back wall (though I have room off to the sides) and their accompanying woofers which are against the wall. I don't have hugely deep soundstage, but it is quite satisfying. But this is perhaps because they are mid sized monitors that do have some room to breath. I am now thinking of going to floorstanders about the same size as your Ushers, and wondering if I will suddently find the same situation - better speaker but no room to breath.

The floorstanders I'm thinking of don't go particularly deep, so perhaps they won't overload my room in the bass - is that an issue with the Ushers?
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