Speaker Recommendation Help Please.

I see lot's of recommendations of what you "should" do, such as

- pull out the speakers from the wall

- add a bunch of acoustic treatment and bass traps

These are all "perfect world" recommendations and tend to be "knee-jerk" responses without really paying attention to what the OP's situation really is.

I have been in large open weird rooms similar to what bigfatpaulie has.  I will say that acoustic treatments can actually make things worse sometimes and need to be done one step at a time.  Sometimes, a particular bass trap or acoustic panel can ruin the sound (yes, I have experience with this).  I had a room almost exactly like his and put acoustic panels on the front wall between the speakers - and it completely ruined the sound; made it anemic and totally weak.  So, if you are doing acoustic treatments, do one at a time and listen carefully.

Second thing is the speaker placement.  Because you are having to put the speakers very close to the wall, I would highly recommend looking for speakers that are either sealed box or have a FRONT vent port for the bass.  Speakers with a rear vent will not work very well when placed that close to the wall.

Now on to the speakers you mentioned.  Wilson speakers are generally very revealing and very fast responding.  They tend to have a bright harsh edge with some equipment because they are so fast and require special consideration when you choose preamp/amp/cables.  I have heard Wilsons sound excellent with McIntosh and some tube amps, but they definitely sound harsh/bright and fatiguing with some of the higher resolution equipment.  Be mindful of this if you are looking at Wilson.  The Sophia 1 have aluminum woofers and titanium dome tweeter, which are definitely going to sound bright.  The newer generations typically use Scanspeak drivers, which are also bright and fast responding.

I have always loved Sonus Faber speakers.  They are very natual sounding and also very neutral sounding.  They sound great with many different amps/preamps and they are more forgiving to bad electronics/cables.  Excellent choice.  However, the tweeters are soft-dome which are nice but do not have as much resolution/transparency in the very high frequencies.  This means they are not as detailed or revealing as other speakers with different tweeters.  They are still not a bad choice.

The Focal speakers are also completely different.  They are extremely clean sounding.  But in my opinion, they are so clean sounding that they lack texture and "grit" for all the different tones and resonances.  They can also sound thin in the midrange with a lot of systems.  You really have to hear the speaker to decide if you like this type of sound.

Another speaker that you could potentially look at are the Revel PerformaBe series.  They are very high resolution but without the harsh edge of wilson and have good bass with a front port.   At this point, we will probably have another 5-10 different speaker recommendations because everybody thinks their speakers are the "best".  I always try to describe how a speaker sounds instead of trying to tell you what speaker I think you should get, lol.

I think, unfortunately, with your room layout the only way you’re going to get anywhere near great sound would be to listen to something in the near field to account for the vast openness to the left and glass wall to the immediate right of your speakers.

Totems work well close to the wall.  And a subwoofer or two for the slam you’re looking for.

I don’t think you’re going to get anything near the sound you get with your cans, though, because your selection of headphones is awesome!

Good luck with your speaker selection.

"The speakers can only be about 12-14 inches from the back wall (I have a wife and it's our family room)"

The buzz kill is the lack of free space you DON"T have from the back wall.

Whatever you pick, consider a model design that doesn't mind being close to the back wall. Speakers usually sound best pushed out in the room. Keep in mind your choices will be compromised. Focal/SF optimum when out 4-6 feet.

@bigfatpaulie Yes, I would say Sonus and most conventional box or dipoles would have the same concern close to the wall. 

Audio Note is very well regarded and often on long walls and close. They don't look "high tech" in terms of styling, but many rave about them when paired with the right stuff (usually tube gear and very specific cabling. They're kinda pricey too...Cheers,

Spencer

Hi @sbank !  Not only have I never heard Larson's, I've never heard OF Larson!  Thank you for the suggestion.  It looks like they don't have a distributor, much less a dealer in Canada, but I did just email the closest distributor to see what my options are (if any).  Thanks for the suggestion!!

I also appreciate your candor about Wilson/Focal likely not being a good option due to only having 12-14 inches behind the speaker to work with (assuming a, about, 20 inch deep speaker).  Would Sonus Faber be in the same boat?  I suspect so...  One reason I was considering the Guaneri's is that they are shallower.  The same goes for the SabrinaX's (on the top).  You bring up a good point: when I audition, I should move the speakers to where they will be in my room (ie close the walls) and not where the dealer puts them for best performance.  

Agree bass traps are essential, but even more so speakers designed to be close to the wall. First thought was K-horns, but not where the current speakers are. Have you considered Larsen 8 or 9? They are made for against the wall, and I was amazed when I heard the 9s how well they performed. 

If 4 ft. out is off limits, which is fine, any Wilson, Focal etc. is going to give you only a fraction of what you're paying for...and will sorely disappoint vs. if you heard them properly set up. Cheers,

Spencer

@spenav Thank you.  I tried to be as complete as possible.  I appreciate you taking the the time to read it all.  The trouble with pushing my speakers out 4 feet is that 1) they would then be 6 feet from my ears and 8 feet apart and 2) it would be a no-go with my wife :)  The reason I am starting with speakers and looking for advice is, as you have aptly pointed out, placement and the room is the biggest factor.  I am looking for guidance of what would actually work in a space like this, in this location.  I fully agree and acknowledge the challenges of my room which is why I went into as much detail as I did about.  To my earlier point about Magnepans not being an option, that's strictly because of my room and the lack of space behind the speakers.  The speakers playing well in my room, I believe, will be the biggest determining factor in the success of my stereo.  I am looking for speaker/room synergy here (if that's possible).

@erik_squires Excellent advice!!  Thank you.  And yes, room treatment will be essential.  You can't see it in the photo I provided so here is the other angle, facing the kitchen: 

In addition to your suggestions, I am thinking treatment will be a good idea above the cabinets on that blank wall (about 2 feet tall, to the ceiling).  I really, really appreciate the specifics!  Thank you.  I'm not sure if these are available through a dealer here, but I am pretty comfortable buying room treatments online.  I also never thought to consider a narrow dispersion speaker; this is the kind of advice I was hoping for.  

I think you may be best served by narrow dispersion speakers. Klipsch Heresy’s come to mind for full range, Hsu HB-1 for smaller satellites if you plan on adding a sub.

On your drawing, on the upper left, consider floor to ceiling bass traps.

Above/behind the TV consider GIK Acoustics impression series diffusor/absorber panels. If you get white/white they’ll vanish. Behind the speakers, as thick as you can stand, the mondo bass traps with the impression series diffusor, same white on white.

@bigfatpaulie 
Very nice write up. You gave all the information that one would need to advise you, yet I am not sure where to start. Seeing your picture of the room tells me that your most pressing problem might not be which brand of speaker to buy. The ones you have now is positioned so close to the back wall that there is little chance that they will give the kind of enjoyment you are looking for. Push them out more than 4’ and see how they change. The best advice I can give you is to read this book from Jim Smith: Get Better Sound. Unlike headphones, a system setup has a lot to do with the room itself. You can get great sound only if you do it properly. Listen to the speakers that you mentioned above in proper setup first before you bring them home so that you can be aware of their capabilities. Good luck. 

Thank you for the suggestion and no, I have not heard them.  The trouble is I have limited access to pre-owned kit being in Canada so sourcing and auditioning a pair will be very problematic.  I will certainly keep my eyes open, however!

Have you ever heard the Wilson Audio Duette 2? I say that because you mentioned Wilson already and the Duette 2 is the best stand mount speaker I have heard. They fill a room with sound and have the slam you are looking for. Just my two cents. They are not cheap by any means but really sound miraculous for the size.