Alcove HiFi dilemma - R4i or D-M39DAB

[fandangs]

The crux of my question is whether forum folk would recommend a Denon DM39/Onkyo CR-N755 type mini system where you cannot physically separate the speakers and there’s not much room around them over an albeit more expensive, all in one Ruark R4i. I have an alcove at one end of my kitchen that is currently occupied by previous What HiFi 5 star system (and rather unreliable) Goodmans 1104 CD/DAB (don’t laugh). There’s room for the Denon D-M39DAB system with speakers placed against the main unit just as you see them displayed in store. There’s not enough room for a wider form factor system such as Denon Ceol RCD-N8 or Marantz MCR603 with speakers, although I could use these main units if I placed bookshelf speakers on their sides right against the ceiling on top of the kitchen cabinets either side of the alcove but I’m guessing that’s not going to give a particularly good result. In my search for “narrower” HiFi I read the What HIFI review of the Ruark R4i and the Denon Ceol Piccolo. I’ve discounted the Denon Ceol Piccolo after docking my iphone 4s and watching 5 mins of my life drift away watching it cycling through step 1 or 4, 2 of 4, 3 of 4 before going back to step 1 of 4 in Currys/PCWorld. I really like the look of the r4i. My budget of £450 is sufficient to buy a graded R4i direct from the manufacturer, or a DM39/Onkyo CR-N755 with any of the smallerbookshelf speaker options (Denon’s companion SC-M39, Monitor BX1, Q2010, Zensor1). There’s no room for a sub on , or near the alcove. Any thoughts?

 

[Jame5]

I'd go cheap: the limiting factor will be positioning not amp quality. I like the larger Q 2020is with my DM39 but try to get a listen to the speakers you mention right up against a wall. If you can't demo, I can confirm that both bx1 and zensor 1 sound nice with it but lack bass (probably a good thing in your situation).

What about wall mounting?

 

[fandangs]

Thanks for your thoughts. Wall mounting a bookshelf speaker is not possible (other than on the wall in the small alcove). I have cabinets from floor to within 220mm of ceiling the full width of the kitchen on one wall with no other sensible position to put a hifi elsewhere in the room other than in this alcove.

I should have put ceiling speakers in when I had the room in bits!

I love the simplicity of the RuarkR4i, but it is expensive when you compare functionality to a DM39 and N-CR755. Audio system designers probably assume the user will place speakers a sensible distance apart to get L-R imaging, and that the speakers will have plenty of room around them to work properly; neither of which I can give unless speakers are v v small. The alcove is approx 600mm wide, 600mm deep, 400mm high.

Several reviewers say the DM39 and N-CR755 can punch with hifi several times their high street price, and whilst that makes a good read is that really true if the position of the components is all a bit tight?

 

[Jame5]

My point is that you could drive speakers in an alcove with a £3k amp and they're still going to sound like speakers in an alcove. Whichever combo you go for, try experimenting with foam bungs in the speaker ports as bass boom is likely to be an issue.

 

[matthewpiano]

I'd go for the Ruark. Very impressive for what it is and should do the job perfectly in that space.