Size matters...need smaller speakers


It pains me to write this but alas I have finally accepted the fact that I am never going to have my own large listening room (not with real estate prices the way they are here in SoCal). The best I can hope for is my current corner of the living room or my yet to be built loft or a small den. For those of you who have read some of my posts, you know I love my Usher BE-10 speakers. They are some of the most accurate and transparent speakers I have heard. The problem is that I think they are just too big for the space I have alloted them. In the past year, I have complained a lot about my soundstaging issues (too low, too narrow). I know I can use room treatments but this is not possible in my living room and even with them, I still feel that my speakers are too darn big. I tried different toe in angles, pulling them out as far as I could, moving them away from side walls, etc. There is simply not enough room for them to breathe. Will monitors work better in smaller spaces, especially with regard to imaging and soundstaging? I think perhaps monitors with a sub could be the right way for me to go given my domestic situation.

Anyway, I do not know much about monitors and would appreciate a starting point. I prefer my speakers to be as accurate and transparent as possible. I prefer a dynamic sound that is true to the upstream components. Price does not really matter but I guess for monitors I would hope to spend less than $10K. One option is the new Usher "tiny dancer" monitor. Another is the Focal BE series. Are there others I should look that fit my preferences?

Thanks in advance.
tboooe

Showing 2 responses by newbee

FWIW small speakers on stands are just as demanding as large full range systems when it comes to high quality soundstaging. As a pratical matter all you do by going small is give up LF information and reducing visual impact. The foot print won't change all that much. Whether you can fill in that lost LF information depends a lot on the LF capabilities of the mains and your choice of subs and their locations. For high quality integration its not a walk in the park!

If it is visual impact that is bothering you, personally, I'd just get some smaller high qualty floorstanders and adjust to the loss of a half octave or so of LF info. You;d likely have more coherrent sound than by trying to match small stand mounted speakers and a sub(s).
Emailists, Why not just start a new thread and provide info regarding your room dimensions and speaker/listening position set up as well as the speakers identification. I suspect your get more, and better, responses than just piggy backing on Tboooe's thread.