Good speaker match 4 Rotel/Rega gear &small room?


Help! I have a 12'wide x18'long x8'high ceiling space, with hardwoods, fabric couches, and the following components:
Rotel RB1080 Amp (200watt)
Rega Planet 2000 CD player
Odyssey Audio Tempest preamp
Groneberg Reference Interconnects
AudioQuest Type 4 speaker cable (non-bi-wire)
Signal Cable power cords

I listen to predominantly to progressive rock and metal. I have a pair of B&W DM604s3 currently. I cannot place these things more than 2'0" from rear wall, and 7'0" apart. i'm not getting the kind of stereo imaging that I keep reading about on this forum unless I'm at loud volumes. The speakers seem to be fussy with placement/toe-in. They are on their provided spikes with thick carpet pieces under each speaker. The whole rigg is only about 2 weeks old, played continuously at low levels for burn in, and cranked about a good 2 hours a day. Why are these things not providing the kind of warmth, depth and imaging at low-to-moderate levels? Am I running them in-efficiently? Did I buy too much speaker for the space? Is there a better pair suited to these characteristics? Are there speakers that work well closer to walls (12 - 24" away) for smaller room? Please give me some guidance.
thanks
Frank
fdeluca256b
Hi,

I heard the 604 mk3 in a showroom, that was larger than your room. It had rotel gear running it. It imaged very well, however, it sounded a bit foward, diffenetly not warm sounding. I have not heard a recent B&W that was warm, I think they tend to be analytical. After only two weeks, you might continue to tweek how the system is set up. I noticed you mentioned hardwoods...I assume hardwood floors. If so, you might want to put a big thick rug down to absorb some of that floor reflection, that may make the sound a bit warmer. 2 feet from rear wall sounds about right, but it sounds like you have some room with the side walls; having walls that are either 12 or 18 feet wide and the speakers that like being around 7 ft apart. You might change the wall you have the speakers set up on. Also, if the speakers are around 7 ft apart, I take it that you are between 7 to 9 feet from each speaker? (or that is where I would start sitting to find the sweet spot.) In addition, if there are windows, glass doors, etc. these things can really mess up your imaging and give you a bright sound. Drapes can help. In addition, if there a TV between the speakers, that soemtimes can mess things up- if you do have a TV between the speakers, I would pull the speakers out a foot or two in front of the TV. 12 X 18 is not that small of a room- I wish you luck. I run a pair of Spendor 3/5 in one of my bedrooms that is 10x12 and it sounds very nice. However, while the Spendors are rich and image very well, they are not the best for rock and metal.
Try the Von Schweikert VR-1. Full bodied, yet detailed. They also sound great played through receivers such as the Rotel. They are never offensive or too bright.

Enough bass to allow your prog rock to sound satisfying without the use of a subwoofer.
How do the Von Schweikerts work in tight quarters? Do they have to sit more than 2'-0" off the rear wall and 18" from the sides? Can they produce the soundstage feel?
What about Totem speakers?