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"Wife Friendly" full range speakers

Hoping I could get some recommendations on a "Wife Friendly" on a full range floor standing speaker that doesn't need to be placed an excessive distance from the wall. My system includes:

McIntosh 2102 tube amp (100w/ch)
McIntosh 2200 tube pre
Naim CD5
Alon II (now Nola)
Black Orpheus Bi-wire
Nordost Red Dawn (CD to pre)
Audience AU24 (pre to amp)
Foundation Research LC-1 with Naim
TG Audio HSR II with McIntosh

My room is 12 x 12 and has a large opening at the back and one side. Alon II's are located about 20" from the back wall and 36" from the sides. I enjoy a variety of music types - especially quality female vocals (Alison Krauss, Ella Fitzgerald) and instrumental piano and guitar. I'm not a bass freak, but would like a decent bass response - no less bass response than with the Alons IIs.

A key element here is the speakers cannot be placed more than 2 feet from the back wall. My listening room is also my family's music room and is incorporated into our home's main level. My lovely wife will not allow the speakers to come out any further into the room!

After having a solid state system (Threshold) for the past 12 years, I've really enjoyed the change to tubes with instruments and vocals. Please give your thoughts/opinions on a speaker upgrade that mates will with tubes and doesn't need to be placed too far from the back wall without a tremendous amount of sound degredation.

Thanks!
encyclopediabsh
ryder
1,690 posts
 
I was just going to recommend the SF Cremonas but with a 2' constraint from the back wall I wouldn't be too sure if they would image well.
mikesinger
572 posts
 
went from alon ii's (wonderful speakers) to audio physic libra (bigger brother to the virgo)..

would also suggest the virgo's II's in your situation. you might even get better bass response since the alon II's really like to be pulled out quite a bit (dipole).

the virgo are a higher resolution design but they dont have the dynamic "freedom" that the alons have. the presentation is very, very, very percise with the virgos but the alons have a highly detailed musical presentation when set up right and totally disappear. they are also more critical of the gear and setup than the alons ( had to change out my amps to a very high resolution design ( classe cam 350 monos) and power cords..

most of all- the wife likes the way they look..
langoti13ca
2 posts
 
I'm not an audiophile - but I have a pair of Aerial 6's. And I auditioned them with McIntosh amps when I bought them (they paired much better with my Krell integrated).

I think the Aerials might be too laid back for your McIntosh. At the store, the Audio Physics (the $3000 ones) sounded very nice with the McIntosh. ( the McIntosh was a $3300 tube).
budrew
467 posts
 
I just received the Audio Note E's yesterday and I already love them! They are far batter than the Tannoys I was using and they work very well with the mcintosh components. They are wife friendly as the finish is nice (mine are walnut) and they are placed against the wall and out of the way of the room.
drew_eckhardt
394 posts
 

Once you're a couple inches out from a boundary where the port faces is irrelevant without acoustic treatment. Given a 2-way speaker and treatment you're better off with a rear facing port where midrange leakage can be attenuated.

2' out from the wall the direct sound will be confused with the first reflection that comes 4ms later, you're going to have a notch at 141Hz, you'll have boosted bass problems at lower frequencies most notably below 70Hz, etc.

Switching to in-wall speakers on a long wall will eliminate all these problems plus baffle diffraction. In-wall speakers plus corner-loaded sub-woofers will provide even more uniform frequency response.

Excellent in-wall speakers are available although I have no experience with them.
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