Room Issues

Fstein,

I had an ATC 0.1/15 sub and SCM 20's in a space like that - no problem with sound levels or bass response. Without the sub it was definitely anemic sounding. I used an EQ to reduce the reponse by 3 db at 4 Khz due to gymnasium type wood floor and cathedral celings with 12 to 18 foot high glass windows on two sides...this was a large indoor swimming pool that had been converted into a gymnasium...this is why it was so big.

Surprisingly goood sound in a less than ideal space...I have pics as proof if you don't believe that such small monitors could handle it.

All of the responses to date are reasonable, but I have a different approach. When a room poses such difficult problems, I prefer stand mounted monitors and a musical sub for near field listening, or headphones. Some rooms leave you with too many compromises that EQ and all the best electronics can't overcome. Room treatments and proper positioning of compnents and speakers are still essential, but this way you can take the room out of the equation (or try to). Good luck!

I feel your pain. Getting my room to work with a minimum of treatment has been quite a challenge! Mine is 18 X 31 with open beam ceiling (12' peak), spanish tile floors, front wall 80% floor to ceiling glass, back wall is all glass.

After a revolving door of efficient speakers and components I finally have a magical system!

I have settled into Magnepan 3.5Rs (awesome midrange when bamped! 3.6Rs would be a great choice, to) My system is fully balanced and biamped(critical). Wyred 4 Sound 250 SX on the mids PS Audio GCA 250 moded by Underwood for the ribbons, a Behringer CX3410 active cross over and a Raysonic 168 with cryoed NOS tubs. Tube out eliminates preamp. The bass is supplemented with a powered SVS Ultra subwoofer.

PS Audio Premier Power Plant

Cable choices will make or break the natural sound, especially in lively rooms. My preference is Clear Day Solid Core Silver cables (shotgun) Morrow power cords, DH Labs/PS Audio/Morrow silver interconnects.

Consider a thick artistic large area rug in front of the system, matching or comlimentary smaller ones on front wall.

TacT Audio preamp/RCS works best with:
* spks that have wide dispersion
* preferably full range
* Dipoles are very troublesome for RCS like TecT
* Lots of amp power to compensate for very deep valleys

Sorry to tell you this but RCS like TecT
(and don't get me wrong, it is a great tool - i own one of the original models[moddified] & it served me well over the years)
will not do miracles. Especially in the room like yours, ML spks (which I still own - Aerius i) & no treatments.
Filling your space (2.4K sq.f) with quality bass - is going to be a problem ($$$$ & know-how).

You are going to be faced with a difficult choices........

I think that fairly high-output speakers with a smooth power response would work best in a room that size. They can be narrow pattern or wide pattern, but the point is unless you listen nearfield the reverberant field's energy will dominate the tonal balance. The on-axis response will be relatively unimportant; it's the power response that will matter the most.

The "power response" is the summed omnidirectional response, and smooth power response implies a fairly uniform radiation pattern up and down the spectrum. It can widen at lower frequencies, but we don't want any significant narrowing or blooming of the pattern in the midrange or treble (though some beaming in the high treble may be unavoidable).

Also, it would be nice to be able to adjust the relative level of the highs and lows. Bass is probably swallowed up in that room, on the other hand sounds like it's a fairly "live" or possibly even "bright" environment.

I would not have expected a hybrid electrostat to work well in such a space, as the radiation characteristics of the woofer and panel are fairly dissimilar, and equalization cannot correct radiation patterns. Something like big Tannoys or Klipsch Heritage speakers are imho a better bet. Big Maggies are another possibility; they have good power response. If you are a recent lottery winner, then maybe even the MBL Radialstrahlers - but personally I think a narrower-pattern speaker with good power response is more likely to work well.

Duke
dealer/manufacturer

Get rid of the wife!!