Auditorium 23 SoloVox...


are they really sensitive to placement?

I've got the five year upgrade itch; plus I've got a new listening room configuration to deal with. My listening room "was" once a 15ft wall of mostly windows which allowed me to place speakers 4ft out from the wall or move them in and around the corners. The downside with that room (other than the big German Shepherd who dogged her post in front of one window): it was a huge open ceiling rectangle that continued onto the dinning and kitchen area, much like a big loft. Well the wife also had an itch and we remodeled (even though it was my money my opinion did not weight in). Suddenly I've been reduced to a near(er) field experience. I now have a 20ft or longer wall but there are entry doors on either end. The speakers can be no more than 2 ft. from the wall. My listening chair is about 8ft. from the speakers and I have another wall 2ft behind my head. So it's more intimate than before although the ceiling remains open and pitched.

So besides comments like you got screwed, I'm looking for advice to rectify the situation. Over the years I've worked my way through the Vandy line, Maggies and Merlins. Now I have a desire to move towards more efficient speakers.

I was very interested in the Audio Note HE model, but alas it prefers corners and I have none. Thus here I sit reading the Jules Coleman and Michael Lavorgna reviews wondering whether this SoloVox would work in my environment. Coleman didn't seem to have too much of an issue placing the speaker, but Lavorgna must have spent days moving his library from one wall to the other.

I'm very interest in anyone's trials and tribulations with the SoloVox, or any other efficient speaker that is less sensitive to placement. I'm also anxiously anticipating DeVore's two-way Orangutans. Thanks!
dpe

Showing 2 responses by asa

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I'll mull over the Valencia idea, but will probably just wait on the Devores...
I've resurrected this thread because some of you seem to know a bit more on the Orangutans...I'm looking to get a Shindo Masseto or Vosne-Romanee to mate with my Air Tight WE300B-based 8W SET amp and will then get new speakers too. I would, of course, cut my arm off for Shindo Latours, but since no one seems to want my arm these days, well, I've been looking at other ideas. The Solovox would be great, but I think that would push my wife completely over the cliff on aesthetics. The Kensingtons have always caught me eye as something to try one day, but I would guess they would need more than 8W SET to come alive (and, fortunately, or unfortunatley, it seems that I'm past ever giving up SET...).

So, I've kinda been waiting around to see what happens with the Orangutans.

I know that the proto-types were at the last CES, and that the designer may have been attempting to up the sensitivity, but haven't heard much since. BTW, any info on the drivers?

My speaker background is ESP Concert Grands, Quad ESL US63's & Spendor LS3/5As (which are my back up speakers, running right now until I find the new main speakers).

Anyway, any advice is always appreciated and I would be interested in any new info on the Orangs.
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