2. speakers
  3. 1212288797

Speakers for a smaller room/moving issues...

Been looking for apartments/condos/houses to rent in New York as I am moving back there shortly. In other words-- I am moving out of my rental house with its adequately sized listening room/den into a potentially more cramped crib- possibly with neighbors behind an adjoining wall or two.
I've been privy in this search to all kinds of rooms-- small, big, oddly shaped etc. And of course, I am considering all kinds of speakers-- planars (so as not to piss off the upstairs and downstairs neighbors as much as box speakers), smaller monitors in case my room is like 13 by 14 or something and so forth.
Alright already- I'll come out with it! I guess what I really want to ask forum members doesnt exactly pertain to a particular speaker rec at all--
Rather, when you guys move, or for that matter, when you chose your current home or apartment, was your 'listening room' a primary consideration?
I mean, my realtor barely understands my needs in this regard and seems a bit miffed at this point regarding my 'listening room neurosis.'
But what can I do? Move into a small condo and buy a Hello Kitty boombox? What did YOU do? (And DONT say "gave up the hobby"-- otherwise you wouldnt be reading this in the first place! Clever, eh?!)

PS- Jaybo, I love your 2 or 3 word answers; please feel free to participate multiple times!

abramsmatch

Showing 5 responses by abramsmatch

abramsmatch OP
61 posts
 
Used to own a pair of Tukans-- great speaker-- fast and involving. Nice upfront presentation.
As far as LS3/5 family goes-- if they were decent at lowish levels-- I might be so inclined. However, the inefficiency of say, a Harbeth HLP3 ES might not bode well for low level dynamics etc.
The new Sonus Faber ellipsa bookshelves are designed for near wall placement as well and are quite beautiful.
First-- I need to seek out an appropriate room and it seems like many rooms would not lend themselves to any type of audio pursuit whatsoever! Hence my question as to how much/what kinds of a concessions my fellow audiophiles have made in this regard.
abramsmatch OP
61 posts
 
I appreciate your replies so far. Good speaker recs plus--I feel somewhat less neurotic thanks to James. Normalization of my feelings-- a classic Dr. Phil move.
James, the Wilson audio speakers are out of my price range (heard great things though!) but it is not solely the bass I am worried about-- it's ALL of the frequencies!
I saw this beautiful condo the other day for example, with neighbors on either side of the living room (it's a middle unit). Good sized living room (bigger than my present room) and people who live there say they never hear their neighbors at all (it's a pricey place!).
Buuuut... once I start playing Aida one fine sunday morning-- all bets are off!?? And that goes for mini-monitors or maxi-monitors.
So even if the room is a good size and I use mini-monitors- I guess it's a crap shoot as to whether you are moving into a relatively noise-isolated environment. That worries me more than room size or speaker size right now. Is there any good way to know other than rapping on walls or being in the construction biz?
I can always change my speaker selection-- cant modify a rental condo/house's construction, though.
abramsmatch OP
61 posts
 
Nrenter-- I am not really asking about speakers I guess. I have been at this hobby for over 20 years and have pretty much owned everything from quads to totems to proacs to reynauds to maggies to dynaudios to B&Ws to Living voices to Alons to Soundlabs to Martin Logan's to...man-- it's depressing me to continue-- I really gotta settle down.
In any case, speaker recs are welcome (havent heard your Callistos for example)-- but my question I guess is really more about what other audiogoners have done in terms of moving and compromising in terms of a listening room size and the 'neighbor noise factor.'
Come to think of it-- maybe out of courtesy, I should have posted in another forum?!
abramsmatch OP
61 posts
 
Actually-- I'll be renting on Long Island, as that's where work is taking me. Soooooo.... I wont have to deal with a 4th floor walk-up or what-have-you, nor are there many 'pre-war' buildings. Most I have seen are newish (10-20 years old) and knocking on the walls makes me fear that even at lower levels my neighbors will be enjoying my hobby along with me. (and I theirs-- whatever it may be!)
But yes-- the Dyns and the LS3/5A's are in the running (havent owned either-- I owned the original standmounted countours-- great tone and punch! I also owned the harbeth Compact 7 ES 2's -- too polite/midrangy for my tastes).
MrJstark, your room certinly looks smallish-- smaller than the ones I am looking at and that, my brother, gives me hope! you look happy as a clam in there with those Vandys. What are the dimensions of that finely tuned/treated rectangle of yours?
abramsmatch OP
61 posts
 
Guys-- I chose a condo and it is essentially one huge room with a cathedral ceiling and one bedroom. I'm thinking..... (drum roll). Quads!!! Always loved 63's and now I'll have the space (finally) to get em out from the front wall 5 feet or so.
Ahhh I can picture it now... me on a sunny saturday in Port Jefferson making myself an espresso with La Boheme on the Quads and my Audio research Classic 60 all aglow in between....
(until my neighbor gets pissed-- god- I hope not!)
More to discover