I meant to say sealed design. Apparently the caffeine hadn't kicked in yet.
Versatile, non-fatiguing speakers for a small room under $1500 used or new: advice needed!
Hi, first post here! And not a very original one, my apologies!:)
So after years of listening to music through miscellaneous mid-fi solutions, I am finally thinking about dipping my toes in hi-fi audio and putting together a dedicated stereo setup. Currently I am looking at speakers, and my head is already aching from the abundance of options, so I am looking for suggestions from you guys, primarily from those of you who have had first-hand experience building a stereo in a small room like mine and achieved results they are happy with.
My room is pretty small (approx. 13’ x 10’), and I will be placing my speakers along the long wall. My listening position will be 6 feet away, give or take; plus the speakers will have to sit fairly close to the front wall. 15 inches from the back of the speaker would be nice, but if needed, I definitely I could move them out farther into the room (up to 20 inches from the back of the speaker), for listening sessions and then move them back again. There are several rows of shelves , filled with CDs and stuff, in the middle of the back wall above my head (not wall-to-wall though) - would that work as dispersion? I’m thinking of applying some room treatment behind the speakers, and on the right-hand side wall as well (if needed) - on the left hand side is a window covered with thick curtains.
Budget: under $1500 used or new.
I listen to all kinds of music, primarily rock of all eras and subgenres (blues/folk/prog/hard/art/psych/indie, etc), jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, singer-songwriters, female vocal, 80s new wave/post punk, some heavy metal. So the speakers need to be as versatile as possible. As someone who likes rock music, the bass is important, but I live in an apartment (neighbors!), so I have to find the right balance there as I don’t want to overload the room - the bass has to be there but under control and not boomy. I want as big a sound as possible in my small room without overpowering it. In general, I’m looking for engaging, non-fatiguing, dynamic sound with good midrange and tone, with enough punch to rock out when needed, nuance to play softer, more sparse types of music, and resolution so the details in fast complex passages don’t get lost or smeared. Not a fan of excessive brightness, sibilance, or harshness in the upper midrange.
I’m primarily looking at standmounts, but maybe certain smaller floorstanders would be fine? I’ve seen opinions claiming floorstanders are the way to go, regardless of the size of the room. What do you think would be preferable in my situation - apartment with neighbors, 13’x10’ room, long wall positioning, distance to speakers about 6 feet, maybe less?
Thanks!
So after years of listening to music through miscellaneous mid-fi solutions, I am finally thinking about dipping my toes in hi-fi audio and putting together a dedicated stereo setup. Currently I am looking at speakers, and my head is already aching from the abundance of options, so I am looking for suggestions from you guys, primarily from those of you who have had first-hand experience building a stereo in a small room like mine and achieved results they are happy with.
My room is pretty small (approx. 13’ x 10’), and I will be placing my speakers along the long wall. My listening position will be 6 feet away, give or take; plus the speakers will have to sit fairly close to the front wall. 15 inches from the back of the speaker would be nice, but if needed, I definitely I could move them out farther into the room (up to 20 inches from the back of the speaker), for listening sessions and then move them back again. There are several rows of shelves , filled with CDs and stuff, in the middle of the back wall above my head (not wall-to-wall though) - would that work as dispersion? I’m thinking of applying some room treatment behind the speakers, and on the right-hand side wall as well (if needed) - on the left hand side is a window covered with thick curtains.
Budget: under $1500 used or new.
I listen to all kinds of music, primarily rock of all eras and subgenres (blues/folk/prog/hard/art/psych/indie, etc), jazz, blues, classical, acoustic, singer-songwriters, female vocal, 80s new wave/post punk, some heavy metal. So the speakers need to be as versatile as possible. As someone who likes rock music, the bass is important, but I live in an apartment (neighbors!), so I have to find the right balance there as I don’t want to overload the room - the bass has to be there but under control and not boomy. I want as big a sound as possible in my small room without overpowering it. In general, I’m looking for engaging, non-fatiguing, dynamic sound with good midrange and tone, with enough punch to rock out when needed, nuance to play softer, more sparse types of music, and resolution so the details in fast complex passages don’t get lost or smeared. Not a fan of excessive brightness, sibilance, or harshness in the upper midrange.
I’m primarily looking at standmounts, but maybe certain smaller floorstanders would be fine? I’ve seen opinions claiming floorstanders are the way to go, regardless of the size of the room. What do you think would be preferable in my situation - apartment with neighbors, 13’x10’ room, long wall positioning, distance to speakers about 6 feet, maybe less?
Thanks!
Showing 5 responses by big_greg
Hearing lots of good things about Harbeth, thanks. But I wonder how good they are with different genres - I’ve read they’re excellent at jazz and vocal but with rock, not so much. But hey maybe in a small room like mine the amount of bass they produce would be enough for me - we’ll see (and, as you say, adding a sub is always an option).A good speaker doesn't care what type of music gets played through it. I listen mainly to classic rock. In regards to the 7ES-3, this is from Harbeth's website: "Space needs - Overall response optimised for use away from walls." I'd stick with a sealed design. |
You should be able to find a used pair of Harbeth P3ESR within your budget. With their ported design, they will work with near wall placement. They don't have a lot of bass. If you want more bass, then The Vento Reference 9.2 DC might be the ticket: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cantventoref92dcblka/canton-vento-reference-9.2-d... They have a surprising amount of bass for a speaker of their size, but are rear ported so will be more "boomy" than the Harbeths. The Harbeths will benefit from a small sub like a SVS SB1000 or Rythmik L12. You won't really need a sub with the Cantons. I prefer the detailed rich sound of the Harbeths over the Cantons, but the Cantons are also very good and are perhaps a little more neutral but less dynamic than the Harbeths. They kill the Harbeths in the bass department. Both speakers like a lot of power and might not be a good match if your amplification isn't up to the task. |
I picked up my P3ESRs for about $1000. You can find them used under your budget. I have a pair of Super HL5 Plus and am driving them with a 50 WPC tube integrated. My P3ESRs are driven by a 125 WPC solid state integrated. Maybe the best system I've ever heard, one of my friends has 40.2s driven by a 48 WPC Line Magnetic integrated. You don't have to use a high powered amp to get good sound out of Harbeths. |
I got lucky with my P3ESR's. In one of my last in-person visits to Echo Audio in Portland I walked in and saw them in the demo room, asked how much (I think they were $1025?), and immediately said I'll take them. I was lucky they hadn't put them on their web site yet, or they would have been snapped up in a minute. They're the Special Edition and in almost perfect shape. If you look at the sold listings on hifishark, you'll see that they are often available for under $1500. |