@ddd1 , the Yamaha HS8 studio monitors has 8 inch drivers, if the OP gets the Paradigm PW Link it has the pre/streamer/ARC etc. No sub out though :)
OP, if you look on Agon you might find a pair.
Starting from scratch in a large room
I am hoping to set up my first hi-fi system, but I have some room/equipment constraints and would appreciate some advice.
I am looking at an all-in-one amp and passive speakers. Right now, I am leaning toward a Naim Uniti Nova and KEF R3 speakers. I am a total novice and open to suggestions on both the amp and speakers, however, I do think an all-in-one like the Nova is the right direction for simplicity and space considerations. Other speakers I have considered are the Focal Aria 906 and BW 706 S2. I listen mostly to modern/classic rock, mixed with a little bit of everything, exclusively through streaming (preferably AirPlay).
The challenge is that I have a very large room, but I can’t use floor speakers or standmounts--the speakers will likely have to be on the built-in bookshelves, on a shelf that is 24" deep (it's not really a shelf, more like a wooden countertop on top of a closed cabinet). The room is 33’ x 18’ with 11-foot ceilings. I’ll be listening from either 13 feet or 25 feet. There are rugs covering most of the wood floors, heavy drapes on one of the long walls, and large canvas paintings hung on drywall on the other long wall. I understand I have some pretty major room limitations, but I'd like to have something that sounds as good as possible for around $10-15K. I've read somewhere around here that having two subs might help compensate for the smaller speakers. This is our living room/kitchen area, so I am limited in how many, if any, "treatments" I can make to improve the listening conditions. Would some kind of base between the speaker and countertop make a difference? Thanks very much.
Showing 6 responses by kota1
A pair of Paradigm PW600 active speakers have everything you need to get started. They are powered speakers so you don’t need an amp. They have an app so you can stream from many services as soon as you set them up. You can add a CD player or a turntable using the RCA inputs on the back. You can connect a sub if you ant. They have ARC room correction to help them perform better and adapt to your room. PLUS they are 50% off right now, (check the review): Configured as a stereo pair, the PW 600s sounded outstanding, easily rivaling separate speakers and electronics costing many times their $1198/pair price.
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@deertrail7 Paradigm active speakers are much more dynamic than their passive ones., the low frequency extension goes down to 40hz and the ARC room correction and the calibrated mic comes with it. If you add a sub ARC will calibrate it with the speakers too. I use the DTS Play-Fi system throughout the home. You can connect the speakers to your network with either wireless or ethernet. The soundbar has been discontinued. One more thing is you can add speakers to other rooms and have whole house audio using the play-fi app if you want to expand in the future. |
The OP’s question is is NOT about speakers, it is "starting from scratch in a large room and the challenge is book shelf speakers must be used. So, to start from scratch: 1) Get a room kit from Auralex or Sonitususa.com to treat the room. Call them if you need help choosing one. 2) Select a pair of active speakers that come with a microphone and dsp. If the Paradigms PW600 are too small look at Dynaudio Focus. 3) Measure and adjust until you get a flat frequency response (see the chart in my system profile for an example) 4) Enjoy If you are getting passive speakers fine. Just get an amp that has room correction software from Anthem, Martin Logan, NAD, etc. If you can't get a flat frequency response I don't see why you would want to spend a lot of money on your system.
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@mceljo , I think you make a fantastic conclusion about the end game is appreciating a more realistic sound. I disagree with this forum being "elite". The recommendation I made of Paradigm PW600 includes, the speakers, the amps, a streamers, the dac, the preamp, and room correction software plus a calibrated microphone on sale at 50% off, $600 all in. You plug it in, download the app, run the calibration and BAM, enjoy. If you have an additional source like a CDP or turntable, plug it in. If the OP needs a sub for the big room it has a sub out too. This is as simple as it comes, hardly elite. |