The Totem Arros sound fantastic for their size. If you want better and have the right amplifier, the Totem Model 1 signature and the Mani II's would be a big step up. The mani's will produce a very good low end due to its isobaric double woofer but will need a good powerful amp.
smaller speakers for critical listening?
I'm curious whether folks out here think that standmount speakers can reward "critical listening."
I know that may be a ridiculous question; of course one can sit down with Radio Shack speakers and engage in serious listening, and of course the experience is subjective for all of us. I'm actually asking for subjective responses here. If your goal is a system for critical listening, do you think smaller speakers can do the trick or do you need the bigger soundstage and depth that can come with floor-standing, planar, or electrostatic speakers?
I'm not asking which is *better* in a given speaker line, the small ones or the big ones, and I'm not thinking about $50k Wilson-Benesch Endeavours or the like. Before the pandemic I auditioned some highly enjoyable standmount speakers in the $5k-$10k range. However, listening for an hour in a store, I couldn't tell whether they crossed the threshold from "terrific sound for a small speaker" to pull-up-a-chair-and-tune-out-the-world bliss.
As you can probably tell, I'm struggling with my room; it's very hard to place big speakers in it. Otherwise I'd buy Maggies or Vandersteens or JA Perspectives, etc, and be happy. And, to repeat, I know that the threshold for critical-listening speakers is subjective. I'm asking for opinions and experiences!
I know that may be a ridiculous question; of course one can sit down with Radio Shack speakers and engage in serious listening, and of course the experience is subjective for all of us. I'm actually asking for subjective responses here. If your goal is a system for critical listening, do you think smaller speakers can do the trick or do you need the bigger soundstage and depth that can come with floor-standing, planar, or electrostatic speakers?
I'm not asking which is *better* in a given speaker line, the small ones or the big ones, and I'm not thinking about $50k Wilson-Benesch Endeavours or the like. Before the pandemic I auditioned some highly enjoyable standmount speakers in the $5k-$10k range. However, listening for an hour in a store, I couldn't tell whether they crossed the threshold from "terrific sound for a small speaker" to pull-up-a-chair-and-tune-out-the-world bliss.
As you can probably tell, I'm struggling with my room; it's very hard to place big speakers in it. Otherwise I'd buy Maggies or Vandersteens or JA Perspectives, etc, and be happy. And, to repeat, I know that the threshold for critical-listening speakers is subjective. I'm asking for opinions and experiences!
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- 99 posts total
Let me address your question more directly: yes you can enjoy fully a stand-mounted speaker. While I had doubts similar to those you expressed, I am completely satisfied with long-term critical listening experiences using the reference 3A speakers mounted the company’s wonderfully whimsical and height adjustable stands. |
There are a some very notable smaller speakers listed by others above that will allow critical listening with or without a subwoofer/s. You mentioned a Wilson Benesch speaker in your introduction to our query but it's quite expensive. I took the approach of a 2-way stand mounted speaker from W-B nearly 3 years ago. The Vertex http://wilson-benesch.com/vertex-stand-mounted-loudspeaker/ in the geometry series.http://wilson-benesch.com/geometry-series/ All the technology (R&D) in a smaller package. My electronics are up to the task of critical listening and they never cease to amaze me. Six months ago I grabbed my subwoofer (JL AudioFathom 112) back from my Son to have a listen. Let's just say it's staying in my listening room. The soundstage is suprizingly enormous and completely realistic. Keep them on your possibility list! Happy hunting |
@jjss49 , I'm totally pleased! I'm truly appreciative of all the thoughts, recommendations, and insights. I have a literal list next to me (now adding the w-b vertex), and I've emailed Reference 3A about dealers. The hunt is on, at least in the imagination! (Begone, covid!) I have a question for anyone reading this. Is there a general principle about how much space is desirable behind the listening chair? I'm noodling around with my small room but the chair would likely have to be right up against the back wall. Or, I might ask it this way: with stand mounts, what triangle dimensions would be getting too small, the chair and speakers too close together? Of course it depends on the speakers, etc, but I'm wondering if there's a rule of thumb for near field listening. |
- 99 posts total