Small room electrostat/ planar speaker?


In about 30 days will be moving to a new home where its going to be hard to make my 1.7 maggies work in a spouse friendly way ( the only large room is the main living room). I've always gravitated to planars and electrostatics, box speakers that don't sound colored or slow usually cost more than my entire system. Where I'd like to end up is a system that's extremely resolving at low to moderate volume levels, my main dissatisfaction with my current Mg 1.7 speakers and Prima Luna amp is that it really doesn't come to life until the volume is moderate listening levels or higher.

I'm wondering if anyone has seen something that approaches the coherency and speed of the 1.7s that would work in an 11x12 listening room? I'd like to keep the cost limited to $4k if possible.
davide256

Showing 4 responses by randy-11

best to try the 1.7's first

2nd add room tmts

Magneplanar recommends you avoid mixing their products with cone subs, for the same reasons you may wish to avoid any hybrids

KEF LS50s are often used in small rooms
Wendell told me the wall mounts do not have as good an SQ vs. cost curve as the floor standing speakers.  He also told me that the 3.7's have a SMALLER acoustical footprint than the 1.7's - when I asked if that was due to the different technologies used in the speakers, he said "yes".  I did not press him on it as trade secrets are important.  That will alter the visual experience of being in the room of course.

Room treatments can also work wonders if they don't destroy the visuals in the room.

If you can find a knowledgeable dealer a visit with a diagram of the room and photos will help - a call to Wendell is a good idea too.
I'll modify this a bit:

Nothing with meaningful bass is going to sound great in an 11x12 room [without a LOT of treatments incl. bass traps] - too small and nearly square, double trouble.

But you may be able to arrange things with the speakers and listening position to avoid room modes where you sit.  You'll need a bit of background in acoustics and some effort.