I completely disagree. If you want to maximize your enjoyment, use the larger room. Better systems need space to breathe and show what they can do. Unless you’re planning on buying small bookshelf speakers, IMHO you’re limiting your system performance with a smaller room. And even with smaller monitors I could easily make the argument that those with two good subs in the larger room would provide much more engaging sound than listening in a shoebox. Best of luck.
Right-sizing the system / room treatment evangelist
I spent some time looking through a lot of the system photos yesterday. I was really struck by how much beautiful high end equipment is out there… usually very tastefully added / integrated with an existing living room, den, or some other existing room. But also how incredibly compromising these rooms have to be to the sound. There are a few with extensive room treatments, but the vast majority are nestled in with open doors, fireplaces, windows… and huge speakers in small spaces, some untreated boxy reflective rooms.
There are a few room treatment evangelists around here. I see why. There are tremendous opportunities to radically improve the sound. I am really lucky to have accidentally bought a large house with a really excellent large acoustic space. My dealer friend of over 20 years sell and installs high end systems an is very cognizant of right-sizing the system for the sound space. We have been carefull to right size my speakers. There is an optimum size system for a space.
I remember hearing one of the most incredible systems in a tiny room / large closet. It was at a dealer who had carefully chosen the equipment / size to be room appropriate… and the added benefit was it was less expensive… smaller speakers, less powerful amp.
So, I think if I was faced with putting my system in the living room (like I did when starting out) with all sorts of compromises, vs a smaller extra bedroom where I could control the space and right size the system. I would now choose the smaller space.
Showing 2 responses by soix
@golfsh00ter I sympathize as I had a similar room in my last apartment before I bought my house and use the basement as a dedicated listening room, and I had exactly the same bass bloat you’re experiencing. Since it was an apartment I didn’t want to invest in room treatments, so my only solution was to pull my speakers 5’ out into the room for serious listening and push them back afterwards so my wife would still live with me. Anyway, in your situation I think the JA Perspectives might be a bit much, and if it was me I’d do Pulsars with two good subs that will help you to better manage the bass nodes while still giving you a full-range speaker experience. Just my $0.02 FWIW, and best of luck. |