House Hunting and New Listening Room Concerns

We're house hunting, after living happily in an apartment for about eight years.

A listening room is a high priority. But, many of the houses we've visited would need tens of thousands of dollars in remodeling to suit our kitchen and bathroom needs, leaving little left over for a dedicated listening room.

My set up is based around Thiel CS 2.3 speakers and Rogue Audio electronics.

The current listening room is just under 13'6" deep, and not quite 14'6" wide. The speakers are on the slightly longer wall. The back edge sits two feet from the rear, and they are about 8'6" apart on center. The listening spot is about 9' feet away, given that the speakers themselves are around a foot deep.

It's a great-sounding room and we've worked hard to keep the music detailed and inviting.

So far no house we've seen is perfect, but one examined today comes close. It's small, but on a great property and under our price limit. It would need extensive redecorating, but nothing we couldn't handle.

Here's the rub: It has only two potential listening rooms. One is a 27' by 16' "family room" that is actually a three-season room with three walls made up of floor-to-ceiling glass windows or doors. Since it looks out on acres of woodland, that's the point. No way to set up a decent stereo in a nearly glass room.

The other room is 18' by 12', but it has problems. On the left short wall is a large stone fireplace surrounded by wood paneling. On the right is a stairway, and the entrance to the dining room. On the front long wall is a 6' bay window, splitting the 18' distance. The main entrance to the house is at the end of that wall. The rear wall is solid until it opens for the dining room. The walls that don't have knotty pine panels are plaster.

My best guess for a set up would be to put the speakers along the 18' wall, again about 8' apart and 2' out from the bay window. I would sit a foot or so closer, but the speakers would have several feet on each side to breathe. I think that would help with sidewall deflections from the stone fireplace. Or should I set them up far out from the stone fireplace and sit closer to the stair and the other short wall? This would put the loveseat in line of the front door, making for an awkward entrance. Certainly something we could live with, if it proves the best sound.

Any thoughts? We're chewing this over for a day or so before considering an offer. Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Best,

John McAlpin