getting away with floorstanders

[The_Lhc]

upsidesunny:what are sealed speakers?
and does it matter if they're front or back ported or both?

Sealed speakers don't have any ports, that's why they're sealed.

interestingly, was at the Dynaudio showroom today to test out their Excite 32 towers. The shop was carpeted, but their walls were untreated, and they had full paneled glass windows instead of walls on 1 1/2 sides of the 4 sided shop.

so I'm thinking, maybe I can get away with the Dynaudios within my apartment too - I just need to furnish it with a whole lot of soft stuff

but sigh, they are just sooo exorbitant

so, back to the drawing board....

You might have to consider the idea that that room is never going to sound anything other than compromised, I don't think I'd be tempted to spend a great deal of money on a system for that room, I think you're only ever going to end up disappointed. Sorry to be negative but I just don't see how you're going to make that layout sound reasonable.

 

[Anonymous]

the_lhc:

You might have to consider the idea that that room is never going to sound anything other than compromised, I don't think I'd be tempted to spend a great deal of money on a system for that room, I think you're only ever going to end up disappointed. Sorry to be negative but I just don't see how you're going to make that layout sound reasonable.

actually, i'm interested to clarify - when you say layout - does that mean even if I dress the room up completely with carpets, gypsum for walls, thick curtains, etc etc, i will never get anything but compromised sound because of the layout?

just wondering, cos layout's then the toughest nut to crack. does it help if the wall for speaker placement is even 1.5 feet wider??

I ask because the opposite wall IS wider, but I don't want my AV stuff there because sitting facing that wall means sitting facing the neighbours (we have full length glass windows perpendicular to each other)

if the problem is as fundamental as that, maybe I shld just go out and buy a Sony micro hifi

 

[Alantiggger]

I'd have thought looking at the pictures of the room in question you would want to steer well away from any type of ''boxy-looking'' speakers like the ones mentioned and maybe take a look at Tannoy Arena's on THEIR stands ... great sounding and lovely to look at .. most importantly , they Don't use much room at all.

 

[The_Lhc]

It's just everything about the room is wrong, the size, the shape, the surfaces, one speaker will be in a corner, one won't be, it's never going to sound anything other than "alright", if you ask me, which you didn't. But I certainly wouldn't be looking to spend thousands of dollars (especially US ones) on a system in that sort of room.

That kind of room is exactly the sort of room I'd whack some Bose speakers up in the corners, forget about having the perfect system, just enjoy some music.

That or ceiling speakers, they aren't perfect but it's about the only way I can see that you can mount the speakers exactly where you want them.

It's still a compromise though.

 

[Anonymous]

Best advice is to buy what you like best.

If you've discounted stander-mounters, I'd stick with the Tannoys I suggested the other day.

If the bass is too boomy you can always, quite literally, put a sock in it by, erm, putting rolled up socks in any bass ports. Softening the acoustics with rugs etc. will help and will probably help your living environment generally and is a good idea.

And finally remember your speakers will probably be with you long after the lease on your apartment runs out.

 

[Anonymous]

Alantiggger:Tannoy Arena's on THEIR stands ... great sounding and lovely to look at .. most importantly , they Don't use much room at all.

don't stand mounters and floorstanders both have similar footprints relative to the size of their "heads"?

 

[Anonymous]

Darren Heal:
And finally remember your speakers will probably be with you long after the lease on your apartment runs out.

it IS my own place - lucky me, I don't have to pay rent anymore, after more than 10 years of rental homes!

if I've learnt nothing else from this, it's that I should prioritize not only my kitchen space but my listening space, if ever I go home shopping again

that said, yes, I'm still quite keen on floor standers...I've another room - this one a proper room, but very small - 3.4m x 2.5m. makes me wonder how that would fare as a listening room....though that will mean no guest room for visiting parents!

and the idea of Bose just sounds like such a waste of money. I might as well just buy the sony micro hifi for S$300

 

[Anonymous]

Darren Heal:
If you've discounted stander-mounters, I'd stick with the Tannoys I suggested the other day.

oh yes, I forgot to mention.

I went back to reaudition the tannoy DC4Ts with a Cyrus stereo-amp today

in terms of clarity and detail, it couldn't match up to the Dynaudio Excite32+Danson and MonitorAudio RX8+Cayin stereo amps I heard

was disappointed, because I did quite like the DC4Ts and they were very affordable

I wonder if the DC6Ts would perform better. can't audition them till April when the stock comes in from UK....

 

[Anonymous]

Cyrus plus Tannoys probably not the best combination, as the Cyrus amps tend to sound a bit light on bass, although in reality it's more about the Cyrus being very detailed in the treble area, plus the Tannoys are known to be a bit harsh in the treble. Also, the Tannoys DO need a lot of running in, so if the pair you listened to were fresh out of the box, that wouldn't have helped.

BTW which Cyrus amp?

 

[Anonymous]

Darren Heal:

Also, the Tannoys DO need a lot of running in, so if the pair you listened to were fresh out of the box, that wouldn't have helped.

BTW which Cyrus amp?

if the Tannoys need so much running in, does that mean I need to sit there for hours and hours or horror of horrors, days? I think the Tannoy dealer's going to be very unhappy with me if I end up not getting the speakers

and another thing I've come to realize - al lthe amps, and speakers etc etc all take a while to "warm up", and sometimes, the longer I sit there listening to the speaker, the nicer it sounds (and others, conversely)

so really, how long do you take to audition your speakers?? it doesn't even seem that 1 hour really suffices? that would drive any dealer crazy....

btw, the Cyrus amps are 6xp and the CDP cd6s.

 

[Anonymous]

You could probably get a second hand B & O system with the little leaf speakers for that money.

 

[Anonymous]

upsidesunny:if the Tannoys need so much running in, does that mean I need to sit there for hours and hours or horror of horrors, days? I think the Tannoy dealer's going to be very unhappy with me if I end up not getting the speakers

Just put in your (least) favourite Des O'Connor / Kylie / whoever the neighbours really hate CD press play and go to work. You don't actually have to be there for the speakers to be working and running in.

and another thing I've come to realize - al lthe amps, and speakers etc etc all take a while to "warm up", and sometimes, the longer I sit there listening to the speaker, the nicer it sounds (and others, conversely)

so really, how long do you take to audition your speakers?? it doesn't even seem that 1 hour really suffices? that would drive any dealer crazy....

Once the gear is run in the warm up period will reduce to virtually nothing. Much of "running in" is actually getting the speaker diaphragms (sp) relaxed and used to moving. For the electronics, it's about "cooking" the components to their finished or stable state, a bit like a part-cooked frozen pizza, they need finishing off before they're ready.

btw, the Cyrus amps are 6xp and the CDP cd6s.

The 6-series are Cyrus's entry level models, and, although very good, are not Cyrus's best by far.

Push the boat out a little and go for the Cyrus CD-8SE and 8X-PD integrated amplifier, they're not much more than the 6-series equivalents, as once you make that "jump" to Cyrus level equipment EVERYTHING seems to cost mega $$$$. Later you can chain an X-power power amplifier to drive the treble (yes the treble) side of a bi-amp setup. This worked really well for me using the old CD-8X and 8-VS2 integrated amplifier, although I'm slowly but surely heading for a CD-XTSE/DAC-XP/twin Mono-X setup. If you think the Cyrus sounds a little "thin" or lacking in bass punch I would suggest you look at other brands, and I'm sure the guys will chip inwith suggestions for a CD-player and integrated amp combo within a suggested budget of $1000 to $1500 - GBP650 to GBP1000.