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How to choose speakers that won't overpower your room?

I am considering buying new floor standing speakers to replace my kef reference ones stand mounts and I'm wondering how to avoid buying something that overpowers my room. My room is fairly small 12 1/2 by 11, And I listened at fairly low volumes mostly jazz and some rock.

I will use Sonus Faber as an example, I'm thinking the Olympica Nova 2 or Nova 3 might be a good fit and I also look at the Serafino, and think that would be very nice as well, but I have no idea if these would be too much for my room. They all look good on paper. And yes, I realize that I have to go listen to these speakers I've never even heard them before, but still auditioning them at a dealer or somewhere else is not the same as putting them in your small room.  Are there any technical details or cue that would tell me whether or not the speaker might be too much for my room?

Bonus question I am going to AXPONA next week is there anything that I absolutely should hear when I am there?

zlone
goose
723 posts
 

@zlone you didn't mention a budget.  Some good suggestions regarding speakers that are designed to be placed close to the front wall.  Also if there was a sealed woofer design or a front port vs. a rear port that might work better.  I think a good stand mount that goes lower in the bass is still an option since they often match a modest floorstander.

fatdaddy2
432 posts
 

All about placement and setup.  I use Klipsch Forte IV's with a REL S/510 in a room that's 12x10 with 9-12 foot ceiling, arranged asymmetrically.  Probably not a typical choice for a room that size, but works out better than my Salk monitors (with same sub), now in the living room system.

ashoka
104 posts
 

You need front ported loudspeaker, try triangle borea BR4.

zlone OP
828 posts
 

Sorry for disappearing, busy weekend. Thanks for all of the suggestions. I recently ran REW on my room, and room treatments are in order, maybe I should start there.

I am not at all unhappy with my KEF's, but always thinking I can go up a notch or two in the quality of the sound and smaller floor standers seem like the best option.

I am sure I will get more ideas this coming weekend. 

zlone OP
828 posts
 

I forgot to comment that I did recently add my REL 7i into the mix, but even though it blended well, the quality of the bass seemed sub-par to that of the KEF's. Does that make sense? I pulled it back out.

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