Speakers for a small room


I have recently been changing my system because of moving to a smaller house.

My new room is only 15'6" X 11" 6", not large enough for my Apogees.

Therefore, I have decided to go back to valves and purchased a pair of Jadis 30 watt Mono Blocks.

My Pre is an Audio Research SP 10, I still have Vinyl and Digital sources.

Speakers are my problem, I have an option to by a pair of Sonus Faber Guarneri' or a pair of Cremona Auditor' at trade price. My main concern is that the Guarneri Stands would be to high for near field listening, I would sit approx 8' 0" from the speaker face.

Does anybody have experience of either?
kjgp
You don't have enough power to do justice to the Cremona Auditors or the Guarneri. You'll get sound, but both speakers' crossovers just don't get out of the way with modest power. Especially the Guarneri. Zu Druids are full range, dynamic and efficient able to make VERY good use of your Jadis power. They are also quite effective as relatively near-field speakers and yet they are lightly affected by proximity to walls, corners, etc. Tremendous focus, intimacy, yet completely free of the usual fatigue factors.

You can get much of their effect from Zu Tones on good stands -- something like Osiris 24". You'll save a G, but you'll take up the same floor footprint and give up some bottom. Both Tones and Druids are 12 ohm, 101db/w/m.

The Cremona Auditor is very nice -- if you want to commit to that speaker, consider changing amps.

As a conventional alternative to the Auditor, with more bass, consider the Silverline Audio SR17 and SR16. Really well done. But a Zu Druid is really the peak performer here.

Phil
i'm in a smaller room than you, 15*11*8, and w/ speakers on 11' wall, with sufficient taming of 1st & 2nd reflections, i'm getting excellent sound w/ WP6s.

your room isn't that small. but planars have trouble in smallish rooms.
Kjgp-Jadis JA30 are wonderful amps... If fact, I think Jadis are most emotional sounding of all tube amps! As I said before Cremona Auditor(with original stands) or new Concerto Domus are both good choices for your room. Your music taste will probably be the judge between these two. If you mostly like classic and jazz Cremona Auditor will have a edge over Concerto Domus, on the other hand for pop/rock(or as allrounder) Concerto Domus will have advantage over Auditor(deeper bass and little bit fuller sound). Concerto Domus is front ported and Auditor is rear ported-in case that the distance to wall behind them is important issue in your room... But, try to audition both of them in your room-this is the most important thing!

The Jadis Amps are the latest version of the JA30 using KT 90's to give a full 30 watts.
The new Concertino Domus is very nice (more to my liking than the Auditor) but may be too warm and full with the Jadis amps. I think the Jadis are 30wts? Hey, you know might work nicely (with a small REL sub)? Maybe the Silverline 11s. I think that's the correct model number. It's the smallest with the pyramid shape.
Speaking in only relative terms, the Jadis amps are on the warm and "musical" side of things so they might be a good match with Auditors. I did a rather extended store audition of them (with electronics I know) and they are quite open and detailed. May be a good match with Jadis.

I didn't listen in the nearfield but 8ft is kind of med/nearfield position. I think it's just as important that you're able to get your seating position (and therefore your head) at least 18" from the wall behind you. More if possible. This makes nearerfield music listening easier to get integrated.
Original Guarneri stands will be to tall for your room(BTW, new Guarneri Memento will be released in January 2006) since you will seat 8feet from them. Cremona Auditor could be a good solution for you but, only with their original stands! If you use non-original stands they do not sound that good. What Jadis monos are you using? Power issue maybe... Also, try new Concerto Domus( small floorstander) and compare them with Cremona Auditor. You can not go wrong with either of them.