Vienna Acoustics Mahlers too big for my room?

The Mahler's would over power your room, IMHO. I think the Strauss may too. If interested in the VA line your room may be best suited for the Beethoven Grands. I've had Beethovens, and the Strauss in my 15 X 25 room, and thought the Strauss was pushing it in my room. The VA's are rear ported designs that need to be brought well out into the room in order to smooth out the bass properly. They can sound boomy if too close to the wall or with too small of a room. The Beethoven's sounded very good in my room. The Strauss sounded a bit better on top, but the bass was fuller, but not as tight.

The Mahler's were too much speaker for my room. Since your room is smaller, I would think the Beethoven Concert Grand's would be the best choice for your room in the VA line.

If looking into the Sonus Faber line, check out the Cremona or the Guarneri Momento Homage.

Enjoy,
John

One thing to consider is that Pscialli's room, while not terribly large, is incredibly solid and well dampened because of how the walls were constructed, post construction wall treatements, and dense pile carpeting. So much so that the the B&W 803s are benefitting from the careful application of the HSU subwoofer that Peter has added later. It is quite possible that the Mahlers may end up being too much of a good thing, but I heard the Beethovens and found them to be a far cry from the Mahlers. Perhaps the Strausses may be a good possibility. . . and are likely not to require the assistance of the external subwoofer.

Well the room is the key, and you seem to know it better than I do. I do know that I have heard the Mahler's sound incredible, and yes, better than the Beethven's. However, I've also heard the Mahler's sound terrible in rooms to small to handle them. Bass bloat that will drown out the music.

So I would say that if he is comfortable that he can tame all of those woofers, he is welcome to try it.

Does anyone know if the Mahlers support banana connectors / Maggie pins, or would I need to get my speaker wires reterminated with spades?

having fallen in love with Vienna Acoustic Mahlers at RMAF 2006, I have ordered a pair this last Summer, and received them in early November 2007. I have now started a thread to chronicle their break in and discuss various Mahler related matters.. . including the great Maggie Pin debacle. (yeap, they do not fit Mahler binding posts!). . See you all at:
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1195845334&openmine&zzGuidocorona&4&5#Guidocorona

I faced the same issue and ended up with the Beethoven Baby Grands. I'm extremely happy with that choice and prefer the Baby Grands to the Beethovens.

Dave