Ah you guys with these pimped up chairs...I too would be asleep first 2 tracks...went with simple Isabella/wayfair...comfortable enough for ole kooter...I still nod in that thing too...
Lol steakster!!!
68 responses Add your response
| Post removed |
| Post removed |
I've had my zero gravity 'perfect chair' from 'The Relax-The-Back' store since 1999.....so 17 years. mine is a narrow 'tall' version with visco elastic foam and all the head rest surfaces and back rest curve away from my ears so it does not change tonality. a zero gravity chair is a 12 hour chair, I can sit in it indefinitely (at my ideal listening height) without my back getting stiff since my weight is distributed over the length of my legs and not on my tailbone. OTOH an Ekones Stressless chair (a 2 hour chair) requires constant change in position to avoid a stiff back......and most of those positions are not the ideal listening spot. I've owned a number of Ekones Stressless chairs (and have an Ekones sofa in my listening room) and am sitting in one now watching football. most of them are not 2-channel audio system friendly since they 'cup' the sound which does wreak havoc with tonality. so pay attention to the head rest portion of the Ekones chair to make sure it does not have an inside curve around your ears. |
dbtom2, Thanks for the correct name for this type of chair, Zero Gravity. My guess is this chair will have little, if any affect on the acoustic signature of the room. The headrest cushion might need to be removed or customized though. For turntable use especially in the fully reclining position pertaining to convenience I agree there are much better choices. |
@lpretiring My zero gravity "Perfect Chair" is very comfy. It's suited better for remote control operation because once I am fully relaxed and settled in, it becomes annoying to get up and out of the chair. Unless your turntable is beside the chair, getting up every twenty minutes or so isn't my idea of a placid listening session. Also, I often forget that the remote is resting on my lap and when I get up, it clatters across the floor. It's a great chair to watch TV, providing the screen is high enough to see above my toes when I am fully reclined. For serious listening, I think something along the lines of the Eames chair would be perfect. A big comfy seat with an ottoman for leg support and a side table with a lamp and a vibration resistant coaster. |
I pondered this very question for quite a while and then purchased a anti-gravity chair for like $40. The cosmetics will not receive any awards, however it is surprisingly comfortable. There does not appear to be much that would adversely affect the sound quality, even with the high back. So how does it sound? IDK because I need to do a room conversion to implement the audition of this chair. Perhaps some other member who has listened with one could offer the pros and cons of this value chair. |
My perfect listening chair is a tweed cloth barrel chair that swivels and rocks. The curvature of the back and sides of the chair gently hugs my body, and the back of the chair ends at the small of my back. The chair allows my ears to be fully unobstructed, and the swivel and rocking features allow me to slightly adjust my forward, backward, and side position -- which I find useful based on the genre and particular mix of the recording. In addition, I have the same style chair in the listening room which permits me to "double-up" the seat cushion, raising my listening position. The chair is supported by 5 metal legs, which permits easy room placement but secure when placed on the carpeted floor. These seat options are perfect for me, since I have pairs of Triton One, Martin Logan, and Axiom floor standing speakers arrayed in the sweet spot relative to the chair. |
Human Touch Zero Gravity Perfect Chair baby! Don’t care if the headrest ain’t acoustic. So freaking comfortable I enjoy the music more anyway. Buy used though. New is too pricey. Got an Ekornes initially cause it cost less but it can’t even touch a Perfect chair. Got a pair ($5K+ new) for $150 on Craigslist. Boom!!! (that kind of deal pretty rare but patience will get you like new for $500 maybe) http://www.humantouch.com/perfect-chairs.html |
I recently bought a Ekornes Stressless.. It was on sale for about 50% off and brand new.. The store had limited colors and styles at that price but fortunately they had a color and a style that I liked! Just an FYI, Ekornes makes all the different models in three different sizes.. I first bought a Large and then got it home realized a Medium was better fit.. Keep that in mind if you test sit them.. |
I would either go with a Stressless by Ecornes or for a single chair, by far the best is a Herman Miller "Caper" chair. Both are picture in the final pic in my Audiogon "The STEALTH House" virtual system here: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/5390 |
I was considering the Poang chair until I got all hung up on my Barcelona chairs (would have saved some serious change as well) but I wanted a new look. Having said that, the Poang chair is just about ergonomically perfect for listening and feels great to sit in. I know someone with a $150K system who uses them. Don't even consider them a step down. All the best, Nonoise |
Cost effective, very comfortable, lightweight and available
in fabric or (faux) leather. I’ve used one for years and never felt the need to
upgrade. I can’t make the same claim for equipment…
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S09125661/
Cheers, |
Good thread and for me live and learn. After reading this and googling the chair I just went downstairs and noted I have a Ekornes Stressless in the green color covered up in sheets in my finished walk out basement. I picked it up this summer in great condition (1/4 " tear in one place) at this crazy used anything store on my way home from work for $125. Until now I didn't think it was anything special. Goes to show even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. |
I found this chair on sale at BoConcept, Ideal height for me, very comfortable and no material around the head area, works perfectly and doesn’t take up too much space. Also light and easy to move which can be important if you are in a tight space like me and need to get access for cable routing etc https://www.boconcept.com/en-us/furniture/living/armchairs/5569/monte-chair |
Fact is the chair is part of the room and everything in the room affects acoustics and sound. How much the chair will matter in practice will of course vary. In many cases probably not to any noticeable extent. However if teh chair is tall and directly behind your ears that alone can have a significant difference in what you hear due to sound reflected there. if you do not believe me try a simple test. Listen to your hifi normally. Then cup your hands behind your ears and listen. you will hear a difference, probably for the better, particularly in the midrange which is where most music occurs. Changing the location and form of the cupped hands will alter the sound you hear as well. |
milpai - thanks, but that chair is the wrong color for my grey and white HT/listening cave. There are other colors, but they are not on sale and over $400. The search continues. In my price range, I really need to go to discount furniture stores and try out the chairs. One place where the interweb won't help me. |
I didn't know they paid royalties but I did know that they were the only ones in America who made them to spec. I thought that kind of made them reproductions. Too bad the chrome work is not up to par. The ones I have measure the same and are solid steel, like the originals, but the finish isn't quite mirror like but close enough for the girls I go with. For what Knoll charges for the tables, they should have kept with the 3/4" glass. Anyway, great furniture. Thanks for the history. All the best, Nonoise |
And lest anyone forget, Knoll is a reproduction as well, and the best, but those prices! Not true... Knoll produces all the Mies furniture under licence from Mies' original drawings and pays royalties to the Mies van der Rohe Trust. In fact the original drawings for the Barcelona chair were left behind by Mies in Berlin as he escaped the war and all the new chairs had to be made following the design of the Phillip Johnson original Barcelonas which he had in his glass house in New Canaan. Knoll has unforgivably changed the thickness of the glass in his Barcelona table from 3/4" to 1/2". Easy to have a top made in the original thickness. I do...... Cassina has the rights for the original Le Corbusier furniture and they have been faithfully made from his (and Charlotte Perriand's) original drawings for 50 years. Originals are expensive but certainly in Cassina's case they are worth it. Knoll's chrome quality has been dubious for many years.... |
| Post removed |
milpai, I don't know if this is kosher to do this on this site but I got mine from IFN-Modern and they have the LC2 and 3, among other sought after mid-century furnishings. They supply trade shows, hotels and conferences, as well as consumers, with their furniture. Although reproductions, they are among the best out there and are a pleasure to deal with. And lest anyone forget, Knoll is a reproduction as well, and the best, but those prices! All the best, Nonoise |
@almarg,that is a good chair for listening, especially when you don't have any reflecting surfaces behind your ears. I was in Canada in July and an audio shop had a setup with that listening chair. Not the most comfortable chair, but definitely a listening chair. My most ideal chair would be a Le Corbusier LC2/LC3. But they cost an arm and a leg, or an @ss ;-) |
