Help with a system for a guy into electronic music

I previously owned Dynaudio Focus 140's and a JL Audio F113. I think both of these are a good choice for electronic music. The Dynaudio 140's were surprisingly capable in the bass, and could play loud while remaining composed. The JL F113 is a great sub, as many owners have reported. It's fast, powerful, and musical.

Something to think about... If you're going to get two subs, you might also consider the F110. It doesn't play quite as low or quite as loud, but it is faster than the F113, and considerably cheaper. I currently own a single F110, and I don't particularly miss my F113, even when listening to electronic music. And my room is roughly the size of yours. Either way, you will be happy with the JL Audio subs.

And FWIW, I don't think the suggestion of pro gear is a bad one. As a generalization, active speakers produce very dynamic bass, and several consumer audio companies, like Dynaudio, manufacture active speakers for pro applications. But there is no reason they couldn't be used in a home environment, and given the kind of music you listen to, it is worth considering.

Good luck.

Bryon

Colonel - I am by no means an expert on active speakers, but 4 that come to mind are...

-- Dynaudio, like these.
-- Focal, like these.
-- ATC, like these.
-- PMC, like these.

It will be quite a challenge to audition all of those, but if you could listen to one or two, you might get an idea of what active speakers have to offer. Though keep in mind that active speakers do not all sound alike, any more than passive ones do, so the speakers above will have unique presentations. Hope that helps. Maybe someone who has more experience with active speakers will make a suggestion.

And, FWIW, I think you can get to where you want to be with either the active or passive approach, provided you have very good bass in all three of the following...

1. frequency response
2. transient response
3. headroom

It is in #3, headroom, that active speakers often have an advantage over passive speakers. But, IMO, all three of the above are essential to excellent bass, and excellent bass is essential to a satisfying experience listening to electronic music. On the topic of optimizing both frequency response and transient response, you may find this thread interesting.

Oh, and... if you do go the sub route, prepare yourself for a potentially VERY long setup process. It can take as long as a day for an initial setup, and literally months of occasional tinkering to get everything dialed in.

Bryon

I think Duke makes an excellent point about the value of high efficiency speakers for creating dynamic contrast. It is a point I overlooked in my previous posts.

IME, high efficiency speakers often have the same kind of headroom that I associate with active speakers. So it is a good suggestion, IMO.

Bryon