+1 for cal91
What do you sit on?
As my system has improved I am spending more time listening but my "sweet spot" is not as comfortable as I would like. I'm looking at new chairs, recliners, etc. This is one topic I have not seen discussed on Audiogon. What kind of chair, perhaps what specific manufacturers are favored by experienced audiophiles? Maybe a little crowd sourcing in this area might turn up some overlooked gems in the way of listening room furniture.
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I have been contemplating this for about 6 months. I have sat in a lot of chairs trying to find the right one and I still haven't found it. I am currently using a cheap $150 barrel chair with pleather covering that had been in another room for years. It isn't uncomfortable, per se, but it definitely doesn't invite you to sit for hours. West Elm has some nice chairs that I have considered. Their showrooms just opened back up, so I may make a trip out there. |
Loving some of the suggestions on this forum. Always wanted a Classic Eames and will definitely be on the lookout for an Ekornes Stressless . Currently I am sitting on an antique (1920s?) rattan chair I bought off an outdoor furniture store for $50 (A customer wanted it refurbished, and when he was given the estimate he abandoned it). I refurbished it myself, added 6inch foam from an old sofa and a pillow for backing. A lumbar pillow supports my lower back, and I can sit for a couple hours without too much discomfort from my L4/L5. |
The home theatre chairs available are worth looking into as they are built for long term use, support and adjustability - a bad back can be assuaged by a half hour spent in a reclined position. My speakers require rather anal set up using a laser so my HT recliner is set up with index marks so I can get it back into original position if I move it inadvertently. A theatre seat that seems comfortable in the store for 5 minutes may not be for several hours, but it can be hard to buy one with an option to return it after, say, a week if it doesn't please. |
My friend had a dedicated listening room designed in his newly built house with dedicated circuits and lots of RPG room treatment. His system was comprised of very highend equipment like Mark Levinson, Krell and Wilson Audio. Our group of four assembled one evening to do some serious listening, After a few minutes, we all agreed that his usually superb-sounding system sounded terrible. The only thing that had been changed since our last listening session was the addition of a new leather sofa that his wife admired. We picked it up and moved it out of the room. Instantly, the room sounded as good as before. We moved it back and the system sounded awful again. Needless to say, we moved it out one more time --- and it remained out ! We never figured out why it made such a drastic difference, but it most certainly did. Make sure you can return any new furniture addition to your listening space. |
Since my little Maggies, as set up, image incredibly well, in or out of the sweet spot and being line source, seating height isn't critical, I am most happy with my three cushion Flex Steel sofa. It is medium firm and comfortable for long listening secessions. I usually sit in the center cushion, but if company is over or wife joins in on the session, the cushions on either side make a comfortable and good listening seat as well. As I do a lot of late night listening, it's nice to stretch out and relax for a bit, when I get tired of setting and still be able to enjoy the large full scope of the performance, without everything being sucked into a box...Jim |
I'm used to sleeping in a recliner for all the reasons that people who sleep in recliners recognize. I needed a portable recliner that I could take on road trips to visit the grandkids and for sleeping on crappy beds in cheap hotels. This chair is really sturdy and comfortable. It doesn't recline as far as my home recliner, but it's sufficient. The chair has made it possible to sleep well when I travel! Most of these kinds of chairs have a 250lb rating. I'm 240. For the last couple I bought, the fabric was pulling away from the Bungie rings. I can replace the bunnies, I can replace the bolts at the pivot points, but ripped fabric, I can't fix. |
2 IKEA Poang chairs and 1 Rocking chair. I have two audio systems at the polar opposite ends of a big room facing each other. The three chairs are in the middle of the room and I turn the chairs toward the system I am listening to... at the time. JJss49 that’s a fine chair you have there for easy listening and wine |
