Speakers for a Large Room (20’x37’)


Open concept listening space with speakers on one short wall and kitchen at the other end.  Furniture about fifteen feet from speakers.  I assume I'll need large speakers and am considering Klipsch Cornwalls as well as Tannoy Ardens, but open to suggestions.  I also assume standmounts are too small for the space.  I should mention I mostly listen at low to moderate sound levels, occasionally cranking it if the wife is out.   Thanks for any input.

doni

I just read the @audiotroy comment about the Blade and loud volume. I never new that. So maybe the Blade recommendation is something to question if you play really loud (I don’t).

Last month I was in a room with top end Legacy speakers driven by a CODA #16 amp and those speakers will really fill a large room. I also heard them a few years ago in a large hotel room and the room was too small for them. Not a big Legacy fan though but they have a huge sound.

I also see @verdantaudio commenting on the Vivid Kaya line. I really like those speakers too. I was planning to get the Magico A3 for my office until I heard the Kaya 90 (I was interested in the Kaya 45). I thought it was a better speaker with more coherent sound. However, the side firing woofers made me relunctant to get them even after I spoke the the guys from Vivid. They said the side firing woofers would not cause a problem in my room which have drywall and outside brick. I went with the safer pick of the Thiel CS3.7.

Audiotroy's point has come up before.  Years ago over in Stereophile forum, I had made a comment on the LS50s and he argued they had an issue at high volumes due to the tweeter limiting excursion.  This would extend to any speaker using the UniQ driver and even showed it in a measurement plot they provided.

I am not a Kef dealer or expert and can't speak to it.  Only that I have heard it raised as an issue previously.  I will tell you that Vivids will not have this problem.  And, even though you would think it would be an issue, near wall placement with those side firing woofers is not an issue.  I have tested it on my Kaya 45s.  I am not sure how or why it works, it just does.  
 

 

Doni,

My room is 16'6/' X  34 with cathedral ceiling. I use custom  built Tannoys using HPD 315 drivers. I only sit about 9' from the speakers. They really work well for me.

You can see for yourself in Done For Now, under the name of "The Summit". 

That refers to my summit, not inferring it is at the top of everone's heap.

Good luck with your search, regards,

Dan

@verdantaudio When I spoke with Vivid we also discussed the FRONT wall placement. They said because of the tech they have to limit the back wave (I think) the speaker can be placed almost at the front wall. They said when they demo their massive Giya speakers in smallish hotel rooms they are forced to put th speaker right against the friont wall and it still sounded pretty good.

@yyzsantabarbara that is consistent with my experience.  Usually, you only run into an issue if the cieling is low (like 7' in a basement) with a bigger speaker like the K90 or a G2.  Front and side walls surprisingly have minimal impact.  Even the rear firing oval decades work well in a customers home and he had one basically in a corner.  It is really amazing.