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Should I graduate to floor standers or will larger bookshelves suffice?

Hey guys,
I moved into a larger space several years ago, more of an open floor plan, and soon realized that my current speakers, Legacy Studio HD, in a surround array, might be a bit overwhelmed. It’s a weird, asymmetrical space, but it’s also significantly larger than my previous one. So the title of my post says it all…can I still get adequate coverage with bookshelf speakers, or do I now need floor standers? A friend told me to basically “sit closer to the tv” but that isn’t practical.

I thought about the Calibres from Legacy as an option, which is about my price range…up to 7k or so. I also see all these great internet only brands, like Fritz, or Philharmonic, etc, and I hear about their prodigious extension and sound stage, but can these bookshelves fill my room, or any room for that matter?

Let me also add, I have no problem graduating to floor standers, so suggestions are also welcome.

Thanks in advance.

jonasandezekiel

Showing 4 responses by erik_squires

erik_squires
15,805 posts
 

OP: 

I'm sure it's not a matter strictly of what he's anamored with.  He's a tiny tiny operation and with his trial at home model this is probably all he can afford.

As I've said elsewhere, I'd hate to try to be a speaker maker today.

erik_squires
15,805 posts
 

Fritz are excellent. The sliced cone drivers have an amazing amount of bass and he expertly mates them with top end tweets in relatively small packages

erik_squires
15,805 posts
 

@secretguy 

 

  • Cost
  • Room / Speaker integration (output levels, bass integration)
  • Subwoofer integration
erik_squires
15,805 posts
 

Are you using a subwoofer? Room correction? Are you using them all around or just in the front?

Looking at the Stereophile measurements, these don’t seem to be full range speakers at al, but close to the HT definition of a satellite. They are amplifier punishing below 150 Hz, along with a 100 Hz output peak and, while ported, the port adds very little to the overall output.

If you really like the sound quality, and are using some sort of EQ, either vai Roon or room correction, my suggestions would be:

  • Plug the ports (increases dynamic range, reduces distortion at high output, reduces excess output slightly at 100 Hz)
  • Add a subwoofer
  • Hi pass the satellites ~ 80 Hz or higher (improves dynamic range, reduces amplifier strain, improves midrange resolution)
  • Examine your amp to make sure it’s up to driving them
  • Add room treatment to balance the mid/treble energy with the bass energy.
  • EQ the bottom octaves of the Legacys to flatten it and make it more sub-friendly
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