Help choosing floorstanding speakers

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Hi everyone,

this is my first post on the forums, I hope not to screw anything up :p

I'm looking for some tips because I'm about to buy a pair of floorstanding speakers for a little room (3 m x 4 m which is more or less 10 ft x 13 ft, sorry about the metrics, I'm italian).

This room has plenty of furniture: an upright piano, heavy curtains, two 3-seat sofas, 1 small table in the middle of the room, another bigger table on a side of the room, a carpet that covers almost all the floor and a little library, so acoustics should not be a problem.

Despite this, positioning the speaker is a problem indeed, because the only good spot to place them is at the piano's sides, on the longer side of the room.

The listening position will be at 3 meters (10 ft) from the speakers with those standing 20 cm (0,65 ft) away from the back wall and 80 cm (2,5 ft) from the side walls.

I fear that the small distance from the walls can be a bit of trouble for floorstanders.

My equipment is an Asus eeeBox as a primary source, USB connected to an Audio-GD NFB-2 (modded with a DIR9001 chip) straight into my Rotel RA04-SE.

I was looking forward the Mordaunt Short Aviano 6 as floorstanders mainly because I am a detail maniac and love revealing speakers (I have a pair of Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 and I'm in love with them) and I found a good ex-demo offer here in italy at 600€ (530£) shipping included, but I'm more than willing to change my mind.

Bookshelf or standmount speakers are not a valid alternative as I already have them and want to try the sound of a good floorstanding speaker.

The budget for the speakers is 900£.

Thanks in advance :)

P.S.: some of you may be thinking "why doesn't this italian just post in italian forums so he doesn't have to mess with different metrics, currency and all that jazz?". I've always followed this website and the forums and I think that they are great and unbiased.

Reviewers are pro and people in the community really know and cares about hi-fi.

That's why I'm posting here :)
 

roger06

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Hi donluca and welcome

I can't help sensing a paradox in your post. You love the 'detail' but then imply floorstanders are better.

I too love detail, and a very neutral sounding speaker, which I why I love Dynaudio. I think if you said you wanted oomph, volume and bass then yes, floorstanders it is. I think your requirements actually point to a pair of more suitable standmounts.

I'm happy to be corrected, but I reckon big bassy floorstanders next to a piano could be a total nightmare.

What are you currently using?

If you want clarity and a speaker that's revealing then the Dynaudio DM2/6s could be right up your street.

Edit: just re-read and saw your current speakers. Which makes me think a different brand of standmouts even more...
 
A

Anonymous

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Sorry for not being clear on the point. I'll try to explain better:

I never had a couple of floorstanding speakers, but all the people are describing them as very warm and involving and I was really curious to try them in a bigger room then mine.

I didn't mean that they are "better" than standmount/bookshelf speaker because I never had the occasion to try them at home.

I guess they really can't be compared because they are so different.

My room is smaller, 8,2 ft x 10 ft, and my current setup is my iMac connected via Toslink to a Beresford TC-7510, to a Rotel RA04-SE, ending in the Wharfdale diamond 10.1, wall-mounted with their brackets.

I love this setup, it has the clearest highs I've ever heard in my whole life although it lacks a bit of depth (but with so smooth sounding medium-highs who cares, really).

When I'll choose the speakers and move the rotel I'll be back to my old Sony amp in my room.

I don't want a bassy floorstander, I am just looking for a neutral, balanced sound with lots of detail and the warm, enticing sound that the floorstanders seem to be all about.

EDIT: sorry, you're right, I forgot my musical tastes!

I can say that I enjoy all the kind of music, with the exception of some extremes like super black death viking "ROAR I'M GONNA RIP THE GUTS OUTTA YOU" metal and all the hardcore genre.

There's an unrequited love with classical music because I've never been able to put up a setup to listen it properly :(

Other than that, I enjoy rock progressive a lot, along with eletrconic music, trance music, hip-hop, R&B, acoustic... yeah, I'm very open minded.
 
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Anonymous

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All that detail, and you forgot to say what kind of music you listen to :)

I'm expecting others to come up with the usual (British) suspects like Monitor Audio and Mission, so I'll skip them. You might want to try Dali Ikon or Focal Chorus speakers. Considering the amp, I think the Focals are the better match.

edit: just saw Roger's post, indeed the Dynaudio are a good choice for a revealing standmount that still has a lot of bass extension
 
A

Anonymous

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Sorry for the double post, didn't want to edit again. :p

roger, thanks for the info, I explained my point in the above post.

Do you really think that the piano will be so troublesome to the speakers? I can put them farther but they will be closer to the side walls... probably I'll have to figure out the right position by myself.

tremon, thanks for the input! I looked for the dali Ikon 5 and 6. And the focals.

What hifi review states that the 5 has a very bright, almost harsh high, and I have the rotel which already outputs a bright sound, so I would exclude the ikon 5 from the list.

The dali 6 are wonderful and got positive reviews all over the place but they are priced at 1500 € plus shipping which is way too much (the budget is 900£ ~1000€).

And the Focals... well, wow, they are definitely beautiful and the 714v and 716v are within range.

I'm looking forward some reviews on the net.

Do you guys really dislike the Aviano 6?

Do you think they perform worse then the focals?
 
A

Anonymous

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donluca said:
The dali 6 are wonderful and got positive reviews all over the place but they are priced at 1500 € plus shipping which is way too much (the budget is 900£ ~1000€).
Oops. My bad. When I was writing that, I had the price of the Ikon 1 or Ikon 2 in mind...

donluca said:
Do you guys really dislike the Aviano 6?
I have never heard the Aviano's, so can't comment on them. It's not that I don't like them, I just don't know.
 
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Anonymous

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Donluca,

I've had both the Dali ikon 5s and 6s and I think the 5s sound great in a small to medium room, wheras the 6s sound very boomy in smaller rooms and this will be added to by the furniture in your room.

All I'm trying to say is don't discount the Ikon 5s, I think they're great! They are nice and small but with a big, bold sound. I have a dali Ikon home cinema set up and all the speakers sounded bright at first, but they run in nicely.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks for all the input guys.

I'll try to audition the Dali Ikon 5, the focals and the aviano 6 so I can make my mind.

The focal 714v seems to be perfect because the bass reflex is at the front so it can be placed near a wall without problems, whereas the 716v, although being more deeper, seems that it has to be placed a bit far from the rear wall.

Meanwhile, if someone comes up with impressions on the aviano 6 it would be greatly appreciated!

drowning man, what's your setup with the ikon 5? I'm just a bit frightened that the rotel-ikon 5 would end in a too harsh high.

EDIT: oh, and btw, do you have the mk I or mk II ?
 
Knowing the Rotel sonic signature I would personally avoid the likes of Dali Ikon 6, MA Silver range and Mordaunt Short. Certainly, for detail, Focal, B&W or Wharfedale 10.3 or MA Bronze. However, given you have fairly limited space, a home dem is a must.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Donluca, I have the ikon 5 mkI. I haven't heard the mark IIs but i hear they aren't as good. Currently I'm using them through an Arcam A85/P85 biamped combo, but I used to use them through a Nad C352.

The Nad C352 had the tendency to sound harsh through my Quad 11L speakers, but definately didn't through the dali ikon 5s. Having heard both the ikon 5 and 6 speakers, for me the difference is in the scale of the sound. The 6s get very loud and bassy very quickly, and I found it hard to keep them under control in my room, which is about 14ft x 10ft. The 5s sound exactly the same to my ears, but just a bit less full.

I can't speak for the what hifi team (who in my opinion do a great job at reviewing) but I think it's a question of size; in their reviewing room, the 6s sounded good, but the 5s sounded lean and harsh, in mine the opposite was true, the 5s sounded good but the 6s sounded too full.

Good luck!
 

CnoEvil

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Hi Donluca

Focal speakers meet a lot of your critera ie. very detailed and revealing, with a tight tuneful bass and very neutral. On the other hand, they are not at all warm and can sound too forward and bright (for my taste) if not carefully matched.

I have heard them sounding great with tubes and Class A, as well as bright and unpleasant with the wrong amplification.

Make sure that you try them with the Rotel, which for my taste would be too forward - IMO Dynaudio would be a better match. Personally, I would avoid Mordaunt-Short - but you need to find where your taste lies.

As regards to the piano - this is certainly not ideal, but at least it's not a "Grand".

Good hunting

Cno
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks so much for all the info!

It is clear to me that to properly choose a speaker I have to demo them at home, but getting a demo of an X speaker is hard as hell here in Rome (absurd, I know... sometimes I wish I lived in the UK).

Anyway, I have a shopping centre near me that has both the focal chorus 714v and 716v in their demo room, I'll try to go and listen them with a CD of mines which has particular tracks that reveal the strong and weak points of speakers (and amps, obv) and report back.

Drowning, I read on the 'net that the Ikon 5 mk2 is vastly superior to the mk1... they say that the brightness and harshness is gone, replaced with more smooth highs. I should listen to both of them to compare but I fear that would be impossbile.

Also, I'm having a hard time finding where to buy them: the best price I found around is 900£ + shipping which is just a tad over the budget but still acceptable... but the difference in price between them and the focals, for example, must be justified with a better sound.

The dynaudios are over the budget unfortunately.

How do the floorstanding Wharfedales sound? I'm curious because my diamond 10.1 are top notch.

The 10.3 and over haven't received great reviews online, nor did I find good opinoins on forums.

EDIT: I found a great bargain for a pair of KEF IQ5SE! I read a lot of positive comments on this... what's your opinion?

Someone have them?
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
I have the Kef IQ7SE, so its bigger brother. It's partnered with an Arcam system here. They are wonderful speakers, especially for a detail maniac that loves revealing speakers :)

However, I would not buy them blind given your amp. As PP has said, the Rotel is not the easiest to partner with transparent speakers so the combination might be a bit "too much".

But the IQ5 is a wonderful speaker, and it should not take your entire budget (I think it should cost less than half). This leaves you with many options:
- take your Rotel to the Kefs for an audition. This is the safest option, but might not be possible
- take a gamble and buy the IQ5s. If it doesn't work, you can sell on the IQ5s for about the same price you got them
- take a gamble and buy the IQ5s. If it doesn't work, use the rest of your budget to either change the amp (thinking Rega here) or upgrade your source (thinking Audiolab or Marantz here)

I'm sure others can think of even more options for you to try.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks tremon, that's some really good infos on the KEFs.

I'm throwing the Epos Epic 5 in the mix as well, as they got great reviews around and they seem to have a very detailed mids and low-mids and, above everything else, they seem to sound great 20 cm from the wall which is perfect for my room.

If anyone have these epos, please share your opinion as I don't have a clue about where audition them.

With all these models in my head I'm starting to go a bit crazy, so I'll just write down to remember me and make some mind order:

Mordaunt Short Aviano 6 - almost discarded, I have to audition them.

Dali Ikon 5 mk II - hit or miss... diggin for some review online and/or waiting for someone to give more info.

Focal Chorus 714v / 716v - I'm going to hear them asap.

Wharfedale 10.3 - same as above.

KEF IQ5SE - dunno, lol. Since they are at 299£ + shipping I might just buy them and eventually sell while getting another pair.

Epic Epos 5 - the unexpected contender. Might give it a chance if I happen to demo them or have someone reporting their experience.
 
T

the record spot

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You could probably add some of the latest Castle range to your shortlist if you can find them. They might suit your tastes nicely going from the comments I've read of them.
 

Craig M.

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roger06 said:
Hi donluca and welcome

I can't help sensing a paradox in your post. You love the 'detail' but then imply floorstanders are better.

I too love detail, and a very neutral sounding speaker, which I why I love Dynaudio. I think if you said you wanted oomph, volume and bass then yes, floorstanders it is. I think your requirements actually point to a pair of more suitable standmounts.

I'm happy to be corrected, but I reckon big bassy floorstanders next to a piano could be a total nightmare.

What are you currently using?

If you want clarity and a speaker that's revealing then the Dynaudio DM2/6s could be right up your street.

Edit: just re-read and saw your current speakers. Which makes me think a different brand of standmouts even more...

+1

i think you can get exactly the type of sound you are after with some dynaudio standmounts. they'll be a big upgrade.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Record Spot, thanks for the advice, I've never heard of Castle speakers before, I'll check them out tomorrow.

I only hope that they can be imported, I had to give up on trying to get some Q Acoustic speakers because there wasn't a way to get them here. :(

I've never been a fan of mountstanding speakers, but all those positive comments on the dynaudios are starting to excite my curiosity. I'll try to hear them before making my choice. Maybe this is the way to go for me.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Ok guys, I'm officially in love with the looks of the Castles.

They are so awesome to me, so classic, I'd really love to have a pair sitting in my small living room.

I managed to find little-to-no information on them though. It seems, based on what people write on them, that they exactly reflect my tastes: detailed and warm with smooth highs.

I think that the Conway 3 is their flagship product and, despite it has two awards, I think they may be a bit too much for a small room as mine.

Don't know about the others... can someone give some advice on them?

EDIT: I'm having a VERY hard time finding Castle resellers in Europe... The official resellers that castle has in its list only sell the Knight line. Can someone point me to an online store (UK or Europe) where they have the Classic line speakers?
 

Jason36

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donluca said:
Ok guys, I'm officially in love with the looks of the Castles.

They are so awesome to me, so classic, I'd really love to have a pair sitting in my small living room.

I managed to find little-to-no information on them though. It seems, based on what people write on them, that they exactly reflect my tastes: detailed and warm with smooth highs.

I think that the Conway 3 is their flagship product and, despite it has two awards, I think they may be a bit too much for a small room as mine.

Don't know about the others... can someone give some advice on them?

EDIT: I'm having a VERY hard time finding Castle resellers in Europe... The official resellers that castle has in its list only sell the Knight line. Can someone point me to an online store (UK or Europe) where they have the Classic line speakers?

Hi Donluca,

If you are looking at buying new, the you will be looking at the Knight Series now. These are manufactured under the Castle Name by IAG.

Audio-T here in the UK sell the Castle Knight Series have a luck on their website...not sure if they would ship overseas though.

Alternatively in Italy try So Srl (0331 470125)

OK just reread your last post.......If you dont want Knight Series you would have to look at second hand I'm afraid.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Ahhhhh ok, now I see... thanks a lot for the clarification, I was going crazy :p

So the Classic series is out and cannot be bought or ordered new anymore, that's a pity :(

I might start looking for them on the used market.

Jason I see in your sig that you have the Richmond... are they the floorstander or bookshelf one? How would you describe the sound they produce?
 
Hello Donluca,

I notice in your posts you say you are unable to obtain Q Acoustics loudspeakers in Italy.

I'm pleased to report that we have recently appointed: Audio Distribution S.r.l.

Their address is:

AUDIO DISTRIBUTION S.R.L

Via Svezia 10/a

PISA

ITALY

Tel: +39 331.133.65.25

Email: info@audiodistribution.it

I'm sure, if you contact them, they'll be pleased to tell you which stores will be stocking the speakers.

Very best regards,

Steve Reichert,

PR Manager, Armour Home - Q Acoustics
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Steve, thank you so much for this great information.

I swear I would have sold my soul one year ago to find a Q Acoustic dealer here in Italy while I was buying my first hi-fi.

Nonetheless, I'll keep this in mind, so if a friend of mine asks for an advice for some good speakers I know I can recommend them Q Acoustics as well.

I've auditioned the Focals but the shopping centre's demo room wasn't properly isolated and all the noise and mess from the outside was in the room, plus they didn't let me put my cd and couldn't crank up the volume as much as I would.

So I was stuck with hearing the Focals driven by a budget Onkyo 5.1 amp playing a live concert of Ligabue (an extremely well-known and *argh* appreciated italian "singer" that I hate more than everything).

I must admit I've facepalmed most of the time there and couldn't really enjoy the speakers but they sounded fairly neutral, with some detail but they were really, really laid back. I mean, there was no warmness in sound, it wasn't enticing at all, and the highs and the vocals were really upfront and a bit screechy.

I think that 99% of the fault goes to the budget amp, the lousy DVD player and the awful quality of the DVD while that little bit of good that was there was mercilessly obliterated by Ligabue's singing.

This said... I need to demo them with a proper equipment, in a proper room and with proper music, but, meanwhile, my choice is inevitably going towards the Classic series of the Castle as I read more and more positive comments on them, all praising the qualities that I am most searching in a pair of speaker. I am no fan of blind buying, but if I'm unable to listen to my other choices I'll go with them.
 

Jason36

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donluca said:
Ahhhhh ok, now I see... thanks a lot for the clarification, I was going crazy :p

So the Classic series is out and cannot be bought or ordered new anymore, that's a pity :(

I might start looking for them on the used market.

Jason I see in your sig that you have the Richmond... are they the floorstander or bookshelf one? How would you describe the sound they produce?

Hi Donluca,

personally I loved the original Castle Loudspeakers, The Richmond's are standmounts and I have used them on standmounts as rears as part of a surround system and standalone as pure stereo system. Currently they sit on shelves (possible because mine are front ported). I have also used the Castle Conway (compact floorstanders) again as part of a home cinema setup and purely stereo (now in use by my dad).

I would say the original Castle's provide an open and neutral sound, although I wouldnt suggest you partner them with overwarm equipment, maybe a bit to much warmth in that sort of system.

My Richmond's are currently used with a Caspian M1 pre/power / Caspian CD and Rega TT setup (£4,500 new) and let me tell you they certainly do not dissapoint, however they will be upgraded in due course as the equipment I now have deserves better speakers. However the Castles will be kept and probably used in a second system at some stage. That's how good they are :)
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Thanks you jason, you're really making me to want (or wanting?) a couple of Castles even more!

Lady Luck smiled at me yesterday: while I was browsing ebay for some castle speakers I found a seller that had the Richmond 7i, the Conway 3 and the Stirling 3. A little bit of searching revealed that this seller has its own shop and guess what? It's in Rome! Near where I live!

So I emailed him asking for a demo but he hasn't responded yet, maybe tomorrow I'll give him a phone call.

He has the Focals as well, might be worth giving them an audition too.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
It is done.

I've ordered the Castle Conway 3... I should get them next week.

Meanwhile I've done a bit of 'net shopping :p

I've ordered the Audio-GD NFB-2 DAC, an access point, so I can access the music on my main Mac, and 24 Nakamichi gold plated banana connectors (actually I only needed 16, but the lot was 24 on ebay for 10 euros, so I thought I would snatch them instantly).

Next week I'll put some money on my Visa card and buy some cable (this one, actually: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/search/searchBrowseAction.html?method=getProduct&R=0460184 which costs only 50€ (44 £) per 25 meters in italy... don't know why it is so expensive in UK...), a good shielded power strip, a wireless mouse (so I can control my media center from my sofa) and a shielded USB cable for the DAC (this one: http://www.clicktronic.net/images/shop/produkte_en/HC390.jpg triple shielded with ferrite rings, OFC copper).

That should be all if I recall correctly.
 

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