Component Advice for Small Room with Lively Surfaces


Would sincerely appreciate any recommendations and advice from the community for a system for a listening room in a new home. Here are the parameters:

  • listen mainly to classic rock from the '70s and '80s and enjoy a good, deep bass
  • room measures 15' W (along wall where components/speakers will be placed) x 14' L x 9' H
  • room has wood floors, glass on 3 sides and stone on the 4th side
  • fabric window shades are present on 2 of the glass sides
  • built-in wood album display built into one of the glass sides
  • want the ability to both spin vinyl and stream
  • budget up to $50k

After auditioning the MBL 116, N31 and N51, I was about to pull the trigger but am wondering if an omni would be the best choice for a room with these characteristics and my listening preferences? Unfortunately, I am unable to audition these components in my room. Would monitors work best or full-range floor standers?  I do appreciate a good, deep bass. Have to admit this is a very confusing and subjective process, yet I am wondering if anyone who has faced the same set of parameters has any thoughts?  Many thanks for any tips and advice you would be willing to offer. Very much appreciated.  
vanquish
Vanquish wrote: "This makes a lot of sense Duke and I am wondering if there are any particular dipoles and horns that you would recommend?" 

In my opinion SoundLab fullrange electrostats do an excellent job in a wide range of rooms, assuming they can be positioned five feet in front of the wall.  Less than that and they can still work well, but we will need to diffuse the backwave or, as a last resort, absorb it.  SoundLabs have an exceptionally uniform radiation pattern across either 45 degrees or 90 degrees front and back, depending on whether you go with the new (45 degree) panels or the old (90 degree) panels.   I prefer the new 45 degree panels UNLESS a rather wide sweet spot is needed. 

I make low-coloration horn speakers with room interaction very much in mind, which includes something that I don't think anyone else is doing:  I include user-adjustable additional upwards-and-backwards firing drivers to fine-tune the reverberant field. The fairly directional output of these additional drivers bounces off the wall behind the speakers and then off the ceiling before arriving at the listening area, so it arrives after a sufficiently long time delay without requiring much distance from the wall.  My website is under revision but you can see my current models at James Romeyn Music and Audio.  Jim is my partner. 

You mentioned Texas... I'm located about an hour from Dallas. 

Duke
I have a very similar room my wife’s 12x12 sunroom with windows on 3 sides a tile floor and cathedral ceiling. Also limited options for placement within. It’s an acoustic nightmare. Lucky it’s not my main listening room.

Having tried many speakers in there larger and smaller over the years in this case smaller was best. Currently using tiny Vanatoo Transparent One Encore actives in there (angled up slightly on short isolation stands) and am happiest I have been with the sound in there.

Smaller may be best in very lively rooms

Photo:https://photos.app.goo.gl/npCgHZEPXT3wmfww5

Also have used these 8” Ohm Walsh speakers there to good effect but was overkill for me in there:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/aqqRqhkHGpjBqnk28
Thank you all for your feedback. All great advice which I am digesting now to make sure I have a compete grasp of all points. 
Duke, I am located about 25 miles north of Dallas.

Thanks again. Will be back again as soon as I am able.
In Texas you should check with Dave Thompson at Raven. They're somewhere in Texas too.