Speaker set up for more than 1 person

@maprik 

Help the party along. If you have multiple chairs with one sweet spot…Play musical chairs with your guests

The winner gets the best chair…..that’s the only logical solution.

@ronboco 

near field

My understanding is that near field is being in close proximitry to the speakers like in a recording studio mixing room.

@ronboco 

Speakers set up for more than 1 person…and near field

Yamaha were the leaders in studio monitors in American recording mixing rooms with their HS series of small speakers. Many photos will show them high up above the mixing consoles. The white cones were the trademark look.

In the UK Yamaha’s were also used but not exclusively as we had our own Acoustic Energy AE1 studio monitors which were the main competition.

The AE1s in the 80s were considered the best mount stand small speaker for the British domestic setting too. High power rating with a  big sound and power handling combined with great imaging and soundstage. Heavily constructed and braced internally with exemplary produced wood cabinet finishes. For best results they had to be used with the dedicated AE cast iron lead filled pedestal stands designed specifically for the model.

I still use the original mk1 model today (the ultimate version) with stereo Rel T9i subs 40 years on. Contenders have come and gone but these just go on. Other speakers have been auditioned but l just keep on going back to them. A success story for me.

“Speakers set up for 1 person” maybe the original post here, but for me, these speakers are the only ones.

@lonemountain 

Yammies

Yes l got it wrong from memory…NS8 and NS10 were the boys. Tannoys were great speakers and l remember the Lancasters were as big as radiators. I never heard a really decent sound from their smaller models, but even those were not really small enclosures.

l agree with your Acoustic Energy history.
The company hit the high point with the AE1. A revolutionary redesign for such a small speaker which should never (on paper) have sounded that good. Blind tests provoked a shock when auditioned, listeners thought they were far bigger speakers. Metal woofers with a long throw made them extremely fast and concrete bracing inside the enclosure made a bold statement sound wise. They also go very loud without distortion or harshness.

The company earned its reputation on the back of this model and has tried to emulate the AE1 Mk1s initial success. It is not the same company as it was back then, but their active speaker has had very good reviews.

The AE1s have to be heard to appreciate what was achieved. The sound from such a small speaker less than one foot high and 8 inches wide was previously thought not possible in the 80s. It was no surprise they made it into many recording mixing rooms in the UK 🇬🇧