Big, big room -- which 10-20k speakers?


I just moved into a house in which my listening room will be about 35 x 35 with 17-foot ceilings, with double-story double-pane glass windows on two sides. I will be running a Luxman 509u intergrated amp, a Sony XA777ES, and a Luxman PD371 with a Miyajima Shilabe. Cables are a mix of old Nordost Valhala and newer Kubala-Sosna Emotion. I know it all seems fragmented but I just moved back to the US after a decade living in Tokyo so these are bits and pieces assembled over there.

I am considering a variety of used speakers that can be purchased for 10-20k, namely the Revel Ultima Salons 2s, Rockport Mira Grand II, Aerial Accoustics 20T (I should mention I had 10Ts in the 90s and loved them) and YG Anat Studio II.

I'd love any thoughts on which speakers would perform best in the room given it's size and reflectivity, and given my rather odd electronics. Thanks very much for your advice!
rr999

Showing 5 responses by bvdiman

Another good candidate to look at would be Tannoy larger Prestige line. Probably Westminster or better still the Westminster Royal SE. Had them for years in a room almost as large, driven by Cary 300SE (15w), then later Cary CAD805 (50w), filled the room sweetly without a sweat. Your Luxman will be more than up to task, I'm sure.

At one point, a friend looking to buy these speakers demoed them at my home and brought his Accuphase (less than) 100w integrated+Sony 555ES cdp if I recalled correctly, it sounded great too that he ended up with the Canterbury (one model down). Definitely worth to check out ie.if you don't mind/love their classic look.
And oh.. Btw I'm quite familiar with the Wilson Sasha, my brother owns and currently use them in an all ARC system. I don't think they would cut it in a room that size. Possibly if your ceiling is the norm 9-11', otherwise, as others here have suggested, you might need at least the Maxx2/3s to do the job right. Then, there'll be amp question.. While I'm sure your Luxman have the 'watts' for sPLs (Maxxes are quite efficient), I doubt they'll have the requisite 'currents' to properly control them woofers.

So, I'd too say yes, explore bigger more efficient speakers if you are not looking to major overhaul your entire system.

Good luck!
+1 Atmasphere..

Exact same reasons I named big Tannoys.

Avoiding complication to system, and staying within stated budget (used).
Further down the path after living with Tannoys, I subsequently had (2-3yrs with
each) - ProAc Response 4 - ML Prodigy - MG 20.1--drove them using FMA611/ARC
REF600 MKIII + REF3 + dCS stack.

While the MG20.1 had some beautiful natural room filling sound with great staging
(albeit slightly diffused), IME, they lacked that little lower midrange snap, and
midbass punch (dynamic) essential into waking up certain instrumentations to life
(drums, rim shots etc). Bass was big, but weighty they're not (without aid of good
subs). I then reminisced, and missed the good tonality (accuracy/beauty) of my old
Tannoys + valves. Which even with only 50 tube watts pushing, filled my rather large
old room with ease, and had amazing bass to boot which literally shook
door/windows (some serious air they moved!).

Hence, thus far, Tannoy Westminster/Royal, Classic Audio, JBL K2 (Everest - over
budget?) are the few good candidates recommended which I personally feel will slip in
just nicely into your current set-up. Of course, adding a nice little tubed amp, plus
newer source when budget permits later will easily up the ante - Still.. best try to
keep it simple, I'd say.