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Small-ish speakers for a very large room?

Hello,

I recently moved into a new condo which has a really large living room. The room itself is probably 35' x 17' with 12' ceillings; but the room is actually a partial loft - the wall opposite the stereo only goes up 7' leading into a 14' x 14' bedroom.

Needless to say, the room sounds pretty cavernous.

I have always built my stereo built around listening - I have a full Lineaum home theater (the Lineaum-brand 2-way tower speakers with the LX-5's as surrounds, and their "matching" center channel). Unfortunately, since I moved, everything just sounds anemic.

It's probably time for a change anyway - so I'm looking into a few different options. Unfortunately, I'm also on a tight budget.

How do people think that the Magnepan MMG's would do in a room this large? What other reasonably priced speakers would do well in a room so volumous?

I have no qualms with going with used speakers - I just want to spend less than $1000 for the pair and less than $500 for the matching center. I'm also not opposed to bookshelf speakers or speakers that would necessitate a sub for home theater.

Thanks in advance for everyone's advice.
hudsonhawk

Showing 2 responses by tobias

tobias
1,534 posts
 
You can try to fill that huge room volume with sound from a single pair of speakers--but this is no easy task on a budget. Still... the Energy suggestion is interesting, and a PSB tower model might work too.

But if your ears are used to refined sound, chances are it will be hard to find a pair which will be efficient (and large) enough, and which can at the same time satisfy any need you may have for detail, smoothness and the rest of the high end qualities.

In that case, another option, a viable one for music, is nearfield listening. A pair of monitors on stands won't fill the room, but if you can sit near them the effect can be very satisfying indeed.
tobias
1,534 posts
 
I have a pair of Triangle Titus ES on stands, serving as nearfield monitors in my bedroom. They are quite smooth and detailed, and very lively and musically satisfying. I think they would work very well in a combined music / HT system. Of course they are small. The next model up, the Comète, is still in your price range and delivers more bass. Aball, a member here, has a pair of these and might be willing to talk about them.

Either of these would work well with a sub or subs. And of course if you buy used, you can look higher up the Triangle range. All Triangles are efficient, a plus for your room, and any Triangle model I've heard sounds better to me--more refined and detailed--than the PSBs and Energys I know. (Not to knock the Canadians, I am one after all, and they are certainly cheaper.)
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