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Big speakers in small room at moderate volume levels

My office is 11’W x 10’L x 9’H and is where I can listen to music for the next few years. I have a toddler and, for now, he has commanded the big spaces in the rest of the house. I have auditioned the Magico A3 and wanted to buy it but that was before I was relegated to the smallish office (I was expecting to move to a bigger room). I have removed the closet doors in this office room. The removal of the closet door gives me another 4 feet of depth to this room, though for only 1/2 width of the room. I can sit unobstructed 8 feet away from the speakers before I hit the area where the closet ends (so near field listening).

I currently I have KEF LS50 with Peachtree Nova 150. It is good and I can listen for the whole day without fatigue. I listen to FM, digital files on ROON, and my Sony SCD-1 SACD player. I want a bigger sound so I am looking at bigger speakers. I also do not want to use a sub since I am not a fan. I will also upgrade the NOVA 150 to the NOVA 500 in Spring 2019 and use with the LS50’s in a bedroom.

I came to the conclusion that my tastes would be best served by one of KEF Reference 1 or Magico A3. I was thinking that I would use the Lyngdorf 3400 in this room but I am having seconds thoughts on this now (some A’gon comments that it maybe a little dry). I am interested in solid state AB units like the Hegel H590 and Mark Levinson 585 to drive the speakers. I have heard the ML 585 and it is a fatigue free sounding unit that was a joy to listen to. I have not heard the Hegel H590 yet (but have heard other Hegels with KEF) and I am in the process of getting an audition of the H590. I have also discounted the class AB Micromega M-One 150 (with MARS room correction) because I do not want a cooling fan blowing in the room.

I must mention that I do not listen that loud when I am working and when I am working very late at night the volume is very low. The Mark Levinson and A3 combo was very good at low volumes during my demo but that was in the dealers perfect large room.

1) Am I making a mistake foregoing room correction with the 2 integrateds I am considering? Should I go with the Lyngdorf and A3 or KEF Ref 1, though I have never heard the Lyngdorf?

2) Will the Magico A3 work in this small room at moderate volumes WITHOUT room correction or will I subject myself to headaches and fatigue?

I am going to ask the dealer selling the A3’s this question when I am ready to buy but i wanted to ask on A’gon first to get some feedback. I doubt I could get the A3’s into my room for a trial but I have not asked the dealer yet.

I think (not 100% sure) the KEF Reference 1 with a non room correcting amp should work in my office space but I would prefer to buy the Magico A3 for the office. I have plans to buy another KEF model once my kid is a bit older and I can kick him out of the big room.
yyzsantabarbara
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,880 posts
 
@audioconnection,

That sounds interesting. I have actually heard the Vandersteen Treo CT a few hours after I had heard the Magico A3, but at a different dealer. Richard Vandersteen was actually there that day giving some talk but I missed his talk because I was so enamored with the A3 at the other dealer. The CT sounded great when I heard it. I did not know about the Quatro CT.

Post removed 
alex_bolotnikov
32 posts
 
Depends on speakers. I have JBL 4367 in a very small room - about 22 sq.meter - but the sound is great. 
tatyana69
269 posts
 
In my office cellar I have my second music room which is of similar size to yours. I have large Proac d100s L&R - a Proac d80 center and left  & right surrounds, with my first EBS Proac speakers (bought 70's!) as rears as I cannot bear to get rid of them as they are so good. I power with Bryston 4Bsst2 and Threshold s1000s - all very meaty.
My point is that this is all rather big for a small room - but the quality brings so much more to the table (or in this case sofa) and I consider this to be much more preferable to small, and what others may consider to be more "appropriate" speakers and set up. Every time I have gone bigger and better I have been pleased
yyzsantabarbara OP
4,880 posts
 
@tatyana69 / @alex_bolonikov  In the small room do you limit the volume so you do not get fatigue? From the replies I see here, I am starting to think a large speaker may work if I keep the volume down.  
 
The Vandersteen Quattro Wood CT speaker also seems rather interesting and I need to do more research on this. I do not need a large sweet spot in the office system since it is only myself that will listen there. I also do not move around much while I "work".
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