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Versatile, non-fatiguing speakers for a small room under $1500 used or new: advice needed!

Hi, first post here! And not a very original one, my apologies!:)

So after years of listening to music through miscellaneous mid-fi solutions, I am finally thinking about dipping my toes in hi-fi audio and putting together a dedicated stereo setup. Currently I am looking at speakers, and my head is already aching from the abundance of options, so I am looking for suggestions from you guys, primarily from those of you who have had first-hand experience building a stereo in a small room like mine and achieved results they are happy with.

My room is pretty small (approx. 13’ x 10’), and I will be placing my speakers along the long wall. My listening position will be 6 feet away, give or take; plus the speakers will have to sit fairly close to the front wall. 15 inches from the back of the speaker would be nice, but if needed, I definitely I could move them out farther into the room (up to 20 inches from the back of the speaker), for listening sessions and then move them back again. There are several rows of shelves , filled with CDs and stuff, in the middle of the back wall above my head (not wall-to-wall though) - would that work as dispersion? I’m thinking of applying some room treatment behind the speakers, and on the right-hand side wall as well (if needed) - on the left hand side is a window covered with thick curtains.

Budget: under $1500 used or new.
I listen to all kinds of music, primarily rock of all eras and subgenres (blues/folk/prog/hard/art/psych/indie, etc), jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, singer-songwriters, female vocal, 80s new wave/post punk, some heavy metal. So the speakers need to be as versatile as possible. As someone who likes rock music, the bass is important, but I live in an apartment (neighbors!), so I have to find the right balance there as I don’t want to overload the room - the bass has to be there but under control and not boomy. I want as big a sound as possible in my small room without overpowering it. In general, I’m looking for engaging, non-fatiguing, dynamic sound with good midrange and tone, with enough punch to rock out when needed, nuance to play softer, more sparse types of music, and resolution so the details in fast complex passages don’t get lost or smeared. Not a fan of excessive brightness, sibilance, or harshness in the upper midrange.

I’m primarily looking at standmounts, but maybe certain smaller floorstanders would be fine? I’ve seen opinions claiming floorstanders are the way to go, regardless of the size of the room. What do you think would be preferable in my situation - apartment with neighbors, 13’x10’ room, long wall positioning, distance to speakers about 6 feet, maybe less?

Thanks!
mermaid_smiles

Showing 10 responses by mermaid_smiles

mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
I really enjoy my ATC SCM7’s in my bedroom system. Very neutral and easy to drive.

ATCs really check all my boxes - neutral, generally non fatiguing, sealed. Interestingly you say they are easy to drive - I've mostly read the opposite. What do you drive them with? Also, I believe the newer-version ATCs (v.2; v.3) should be superior to the old ones?

mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
I’m in a very similar boat with the exact same budget! I’ve been looking closely at the Wharfedale EVO 4.3 but haven’t heard them yet - I’m a full range floor-stander fan. Interested  to see what others recommend!

I've been somewhat intrigued by the latest EVO line as well, primarily by the EVO 4.2. It's described as a "full-range speaker for smaller rooms." Anyone heard these?
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
Thanks for the responses, everybody! Will be going through them soon and weighing up my options.
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
@reven6e, thanks for the advice, much appreciated.  "On wall or in wall"? Interesting, never thought about that.
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 

Or are you planning on settling on speakers then sorting out compatible equipment?

Hi, @thecarpathian, yes, I'm starting from scratch, no other gear yet. Btw, as for the source, I'm considering the digital route, at least for the time being (network streamer + DAC; plus a CD player).




mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
daveman2,

Yes, I'm looking for recommendations based on personal experience in a similar situation so I can narrow down my options just a little bit. As for the budget for the whole system, I really don't know, we'll see. For now I'm focusing on speakers, once done with this, i'll move on to the amp and source. Since it's my first setup, I'm not really expecting to get where I want immediately, but I do hope to at least get to a very good level of quality that will allow me to enjoy my music for years to come without getting the itch to upgrade every two seconds. That would be perfect. If I can find something affordable that punches above its price, fine - that's partly why I'm looking at the used market as well.

Amp-speaker synergy? Good point, I'll keep that in mind.
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
You should be able to find a used pair of Harbeth P3ESR within your budget. With their ported design, they will work with near wall placement. They don’t have a lot of bass.

Hearing lots of good things about Harbeth, thanks. But I wonder how good they are with different genres - I’ve read they’re excellent at jazz and vocal but with rock, not so much. But hey maybe in a small room like mine the amount of bass they produce would be enough for me - we’ll see (and, as you say, adding a sub is always an option).

What about the HL-Compact 7ES-3 - would that be overkill in my situation?
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
I’m using Harbeth P3esr’s in my study/home office which is 15 x 12 x 12. Prior to this I had LS50 wireless in the same room. Let me say this, there’s no contest. The P3esr’s are a winner, hands down. If you want non-fatiguing, these are your ticket. Depending on your listening preferences, you can add a small sub later on.

I will also add that, with the exception of heavy metal and punk, our musical tastes are very similar.


The Harbeths are really high on my list - I like a lot of what I hear about them. They do seem rather picky in terms of amplification (so darn inefficient!), so any advice on what to power them with would go a long way.
mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
Thanks, nquery, ATC's are definitely on my radar.

mermaid_smiles OP
17 posts
 
Wow, lots of responses while I was gone (dealing with some pressing personal issues at the moment) - so thanks for that. I’ll get to them eventually - definitely lots of food for thought and some excellent suggestions.
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