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Speakers for Small Room

Hi all.  I’ll be moving later this year and significantly downsizing.  My current listening room is 23’ x 32’ x 12’.  The space at my new place is 15’ x 10’ x 9’.  Speakers will go along the long wall due to doorways, windows, etc.  My speakers include Volti Audio Rivals (currently hooked-up), Devore O/96 and Magnepan LRS+.  Amplification is Pass Labs XA30.8.  Looking for thoughts on which of the above would be the best fit, or open to suggestions for other speakers.  I initially thought the Devores, but they’re rear-ported and need some pretty decent space from the front wall, which I won’t have.  Although the Volti’s are large, they can be positioned pretty close to the front wall.  Just not sure how "in my face" they’ll sound as my seating position will be about 8’ away.  Almost forgot to mention, also have a pair of REL Carbon Specials that I doubt I'll need in the new, smaller space.  Of course, amplification might need to change depending on speaker recommendations, so feel free to throw out suggestions on that front too.  I’m agnostic as to solid state or tube, but not interested in integrateds as my Grimm MU2 serves as my preamp.  Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

jjgasp
lanx0003
1,928 posts
 

Many choices there for each price point.  I enjoy my Buchardt S400 II without a sub.

transnova's avatar
transnova
352 posts
 

There are many fine bookshelf speakers that would work in your room. I am a big fan of the last several generations of Harbeth compact seven speakers. Like several others in this forum I highly recommend the studio electric M4 speakers. One of my good Audio buddies has had a pair for several years and I have heard them many times in his room. He uses a 25 W per channel tube amplifier. They sound marvelous! Probably the best small speakers that I have heard. I liked them so much that I purchased a pair a couple of months ago. I have been using mine with a 400 W flame throwing anthem STR amplifier. They sound just as wonderful in my system. They are also great looking speakers.

medium_grade
134 posts
 

The smaller alnico monitors from Omega are perfect for small rooms or near field listening. They are a bit light on bass, but they're very efficient so they'll open up nicely with only a handful of Watts.

br3098
1,038 posts
 

Small room, long wall placement. I would look for a used paid of Larsen 6/8/9s. These are designed to be placed on the long wall, directly against the wall. These will paint a huge mural of sound on the wall behind them, and there is essentially no sweet spot. Stunning and your Pass Labs amp will work just fine, at least with the 6/8s. Unfortunately they went out of production when John Larsen passed away a few years ago.

My second choice would be a pair of Audio Note speakers, K, J or E. I'm very fond of the K and J speakers in smaller rooms. Although they are designed for corner placement they will sound great right against the wall. I'm using a pair of AN Js right now in a room approx. the same size, although on the short wall. These will also work very well with your Pass amp.

My third choice would be for a pair of JBL studio monitors with B-radial or CD horns. Maybe the 4425 or the more user friendly home version, the L200T3 (if you can find a pair). These need a scootch of room behind them but not much. The horns are very wide dispersion so the sound is pretty even across the width of the room.

 

gotog
147 posts
 

If you like your current Volti/Pass combination, consider the Volti Razz -- it has a small enough footprint to work in the smaller room.

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