Kharma FE 3.2 - be careful, space crucial


I have 2 systems in my house - one vastly more expensive than the other, but the cheaper one is infinitely more satisfying, due to one simple reason: I chose the wrong speakers for the space they occupy. The speakers, the much vaunted Kharma 3.2 FEs are beautiful, coherent speakers, but cannot do justice to a room that is 23' X 17' X 15ft ceilings. Even with 8" of added height through Timbernation blocks. They just dont fill the space and strain to do so. They are better with added height, but dont fill the room with the visceral, alive, palpable sound and "being there" presence of the cheaper sytem. It's like sitting in the foyer of Carnegie Hall. The cheaper system is sitting in row 4. But when I look at options, I see that it is not so easy to sell these speakers - there is a mint pair on A'gon that cost $21,000, not selling for 29 days for $8,000. Resale of these expensive speakers is not easy, as I want to try a pair of Line array speakers in this large space, but to do so I would probably have to virtually give these Kharmas away for a song. So the message is simple: Look and ask harder questions than I did before you buy such expensive speakers that are not made for such large spaces. I bought them without listening in my room (obviously) but will not make that mistake again. The problem is how to arrange an audition of line arrays in my room. If anyone in the Northeast has line arrays in a similar space, including dealers, please let me know. Thanks.
Systems: System 1: 17 X 23 X 15 height: EMM CDSD/DCC2, Sota Cosmos IV, EAR 324, Shelter 901, OL Illustrious arm, A-S MP-1, A-S MA 2.2, PAD Dominus s/c, Gabriel Gold Revelation i/c, Kharma FE 3.2, 3 ft from rear wall, on 8" blocks.
System 2: 30 X 13 X 8 height: VPI TNT Jr, JMW 10.5 arm, Sumiko Blackbird, Wright WWP 200, Aesthetix Calypso, 2 X Moscode 401 vertically biamping Mark-Daniel Maximus Monitors, 7 ft from rear wall.
springbok10
That's right, Dennis_the_menace, no more upgrades til I hear them in a similar sized room, or in my own room. in the meantime I've ordered another 4" block - the higher, maybe the better?:)
With Kharma resale looking like it is, and the inability to hear Line Arrays near where I live (Connecticut), that's how it will stay..........
It's not really that surprising that a two way speaker cannot fill a 5,000+ cubic foot space with sound. You're in an unfortunate situation, but you do have several options. Have you tried moving the Kharma's to your other room? It's nearly half the space volume. The speaker might work much better in that environment. If that's the case, then you can substantially revamp your second system in order to make better match the larger space recently vacated by the Kharmas. Just a thought.
It's not really that surprising that a two way speaker cannot fill a 5,000+ cubic foot space with sound.

Yeah that was kind of my point too. I did not want to quite put it as bluntly as you have done but this is what I suspect may be the problem.

=> the importance is not to get hung up on line arrays...if you bought the Kharma's then you must love their sound (at lower levels in a smaller space perhaps) and I am not sure that a line array is the only solution...without knowing your exact tastes ....a bigger three way Kharma might actually be the best answer (closest to the sound and imaging of what you like ...but an effortless and less strained sound in a big space)!
I've heard the "fabulous" 3.2's on many occassions.With and without sub.Personally I like it W/O sub.A great speaker,and I cannot see how a decent room set-up can damage overall "scope" of sonic presentation.I've heard it in fairly large rooms,with quite convincing sonic spectrum...Love the speaker!!
Good luck.
Springbok, I was just curious about whether you tried the suggestion of giving the Kharmas a go in the smaller room? Jeff