Speakers for small listening room


I need some help/advice for getting the 'right' sound for my system that I have in my small listening room.
The available space is only 11ft wide by 18ft long, and I currently have Kef RDM3's with a Marantz PM17-A integrated amp. I listen to mostly classical and jazz with some pop/rock.
My problem is that given the width of the room I dont seem to be able to get a good soundstage or decent imaging compared to the same set up in a larger room (our main living room where my wife refuses to have the Kefs set up).
Given the size of the room, would I have better luck with a smaller high quality monitor speaker? I am willing to pay around 3k to get something that does more for me than the current set up, and would also consider changing amplification if necessary.
Worst case... is there something about this size room that will prevent me from getting the kind of soundstage that seeems to come with a larger room.
I am kind of new to this and no acoustic engineer, so bear with me if these questions are naive or stupid!!!
peteinvicta1

Showing 1 response by ohlala

I would suggest that you look in to room treatment. I am enjoying a pair of three-way, sealed, floorstanding speakers in a 12x16 room. While the overall amount of bass was not an issue, acoustical treatment went a long way in cleaning up the lower range as well other regions.

What might be a more important issue is listening fatigue, mainly due to a bright tweeter. I have done no research, but I suspect the cause to bleed down in to the midrange as well. I think you should be aware of this possible, and most bothersome problem, especially given your current amplification and budget. There is a lot of bright gear running around. I have about a total of $3k in amplification and speakers and had a problem fatigue. I bet you will be wiser in your component selection than I (although I have little regret), however. Besides the gear, an untreated room can make a large contribution this problem, and in my case, room treatment has solved it. Treatment will also have a positive effect on imaging & clarity throughout the entire frequency range.
Maybe I am making sound like an elixir, but I think acoustic paneling and bass traps is worth considering. It has certainly made my listening much more enjoyable.

Someone who knows a lot more about this than I is John Risch. In the FAQ section at audioasylum, he has some information and some DIY panels and traps that are very effective and that can be made to look nice. Well, as nice as a panel can look. Good luck.