I think I've made a mistake....

[ianshreeve27@]

I've posted a couple of times recently about my space and volume constraints. I wanted to upgrade my Wharfdale Diamond 9.1 (I really liked the sound but thought maybe I could do better....). After reading loads of reviews I bought some used B&W 607 S2 Anniversary edition. They are a great speaker, with lots of detail and very musical, but they are definitely at their best with plenty of room around them. ie if I pull them out into the middle of the room and add a bit of volume, I love them! Unfortunately that doesn't work for me, or my partner, or the neighbours. So recommendations please for something more forgiving in terms of space (one is in the corner of the room and the other is next to a tall bookcase). Amp is old Arcam Alpha 7 and source is mostly CD. I'd be happy to change the speakers and the amp (and dac?) if that gets me loving the music again 🤞

 

[JDl]

Hi. I sympathise, I went through quite a few highly recommended speakers, only to be disappointed by what I was hearing.
I don't know what your budget is, but I think that, judging by your description of speaker positioning constraints, you might be best avoiding rear ported speakers.
Personally I would only be considering sealed box design or front ported.
There's also Fyne Audio's downward firing ported speakers too but I have no experience of them, although I will say I'm intrigued by their speakers and would be interested to try some myself at some point.

 

[ianshreeve27@]

Front ported definitely. Seems obvious in retrospect but there you go

 

[jjbomber]

Triangle Borea cover a range of prices and specs. Moving up, the Sonus Faber Lumina 1 are worth a look. Do you have a budget in mind?

Gamme BOREA - Enceintes Haute-Fidélité - TRIANGLE HIFI

La gamme d'enceintes BOREA vous ouvre la porte de la Haute-Fidélité grâce à son excellent rapport qualité – Prix. Son design épuré et élégant offre un pur objet de plaisir, tant sur le plan acoustique qu’esthétique

trianglehifi.co.uk

Sonus Faber Lumina 1 review

Classy, compact speakers with a surprisingly grown-up sound

www.whathifi.com

 

[daytona600]

Sealed Box or Front ported
Short of space can you wall mount or place on bookshelf

 

[ianshreeve27@]

Front ported definitely. Seems obvious in retrospect but there you go

Triangle Borea cover a range of prices and specs. Moving up, the Sonus Faber Lumina 1 are worth a look. Do you have a budget in mind?

Gamme BOREA - Enceintes Haute-Fidélité - TRIANGLE HIFI

La gamme d'enceintes BOREA vous ouvre la porte de la Haute-Fidélité grâce à son excellent rapport qualité – Prix. Son design épuré et élégant offre un pur objet de plaisir, tant sur le plan acoustique qu’esthétique

trianglehifi.co.uk

Sonus Faber Lumina 1 review

Classy, compact speakers with a surprisingly grown-up sound

www.whathifi.com

£300 / £350 used. I paid £250 for the B&W off ebay

 

[Al ears]

Best by far in this situation are the Epos ES7n but they ain't cheap......

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

There’s got to be just one standard fixed listening distance from the speakers to listen to Hi-Res audio on hi end audio setups, and rooms too should be built to those specifications. Unlike TV’s that come in different screen sizes, coz it’s audio waves and not light waves, which can travel long distances in full resolution.
One whole audio system from the same brand with a pre defined fixed audio throw distance from the speakers to listen to music.

 

[RTHerringbone]

Does repeating bad ideas somehow make them good ideas?

 

[Al ears]

Does repeating bad ideas somehow make them good ideas?

One track mind it appears, doesn't answer the OPs question either

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

@RTHerringbone
Current living rooms will turn into boutique rooms then.
And larger living rooms will have the sofa/chairs grouped together from the speakers, and the remaining space for other furnitures 😊
There’ll be an interior redesign of home living rooms.

 

[jjbomber]

Does repeating bad ideas somehow make them good ideas?

Joseph Stalin: Repeat a lie often enough and it becomes the truth!

 

[davidf]

There are quite a few speakers out there that work well close to walls, it's just knowing where to find them, or find dealers who actually have an interest in such a thing to make suitable recommendations. And surprisingly enough, you don't necessarily have to ignore rear ported designs. I've said many times - a speaker has to work in your room, if it doesn't, it doesn't matter how good it is or how good the rest of the system is, the whole system will disappoint and underperform.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

There are quite a few speakers out there that work well close to walls, it's just knowing where to find them, or find dealers who actually have an interest in such a thing to make suitable recommendations. And surprisingly enough, you don't necessarily have to ignore rear ported designs. I've said many times - a speaker has to work in your room, if it doesn't, it doesn't matter how good it is or how good the rest of the system is, the whole system will disappoint and underperform.

The ported part, leave it to the sub woofer to produce lows. And modern day floor standing loudspeakers don’t come ported anymore.

 

[GSV Ethics Gradient]

There’s got to be just one standard fixed listening distance from the speakers to listen to Hi-Res audio on hi end audio setups, and rooms too should be built to those specifications. Unlike TV’s that come in different screen sizes, coz it’s audio waves and not light waves, which can travel long distances in full resolution.
One whole audio system from the same brand with a pre defined fixed audio throw distance from the speakers to listen to music.

Can you please stay on topic, here and elsewhere?

 

[davidf]

And modern day floor standing loudspeakers don’t come ported anymore.

I disagree.

 

[RTHerringbone]

Even with just the sample of the WHF "Best floorstanding speakers" from here:

Our list of the best floorstanding speakers has outstanding models from the likes of PMC, Fyne and Wharfedale

Brilliant floorstanders tried and tested for every budget

www.whathifi.com

1. Q Acoustics 5050 - ported
2. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 - ported
3. Fyne Audio F501E - ported
4. PMC Prodigy 5 - ported
5. Spendor A7 - ported

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

I disagree.

Even with just the sample of the WHF "Best floorstanding speakers" from here:

Our list of the best floorstanding speakers has outstanding models from the likes of PMC, Fyne and Wharfedale

Brilliant floorstanders tried and tested for every budget

www.whathifi.com

1. Q Acoustics 5050 - ported
2. Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 - ported
3. Fyne Audio F501E - ported
4. PMC Prodigy 5 - ported
5. Spendor A7 - ported

Yes, all loudspeakers come with a port these days including all Bowers and Wilkins 700, 800, Signature and Nautilus series floor standing loud speakers.

There has to be a completely new floor standing loudspeakers launched that’s paired to a tuned sub woofer to work together with the unported floor standing loud speakers, from the same brand, including the media centre amplifier, cables and connectors to listen to Hi-Res music on high-end audio setups.
And not those small satellite speakers like in the older 5.1 satellite speaker packages.

 

[Al ears]

The ported part, leave it to the sub woofer to produce lows. And modern day floor standing loudspeakers don’t come ported anymore.

Your last sentence is complete rubbish.
And if you think many people are going to rush out to buy a new pair of unported floorstanders and pay extra for a sub you are going to be sorely disappointed.
Perhaps why no manufacturer has attempted this yet to my knowledge.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

Your last sentence is complete rubbish.
And if you think many people are going to rush out to buy a new pair of unported floorstanders and pay extra for a sub you are going to be sorely disappointed.
Perhaps why no manufacturer has attempted this yet to my knowledge.

Yes, I just found out that all floor standing loudspeakers now come with a port.

So, then, now, people will have to wait until a new whole audio system, from the same brand, is launched soon. Including the unported floor standing loudspeakers, tuned subwoofer, media centre amplifier, cables and connectors all from the same brand.

Just like cars are tested and passes different safety use tests in the factory before the customer takes delivery. The whole audio system from the same brand, too, got to be designed and tested for use in only one fixed Hi-Fi bubble area to listen to Hi-Res audio on high end Hi-Fi audio setups at home, in the factory before shipping to customers.

 

[Al ears]

Yes, I just found out that all floor standing loudspeakers now come with a port.

So, then, now, people will have to wait until a new whole audio system, from the same brand, is launched soon. Including the unported floor standing loudspeakers, tuned subwoofer, media centre amplifier, cables and connectors all from the same brand.

Just like cars are tested and passes different safety use tests in the factory before the customer takes delivery. The whole audio system from the same brand, too, got to be designed and tested for use in only one fixed Hi-Fi bubble area at home, in the factory before shipping to customers.

And unicorns will, once again, roam the plains of Wales......

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

And unicorns will, once again, roam the plains of Wales......

Only one size floor standing loudspeakers with all the audio components from the same brand got to be sold. So, it will conform to the pre-defined Hi-Fi bubble area at home for use irrespective of the room and size.

And all living rooms and furnitures are designed and placed within that bubble only. And the extra space in larger rooms will have other furnishings and furnitures.

 

[davidf]

Nearest to what you're describing might be Lyngdorf, but very few manufacturers excel in every single area of audio and/or products, so unlikely it'd be the killer option.

 

[Kenneth Fernandes]

Nearest to what you're describing might be Lyngdorf, but very few manufacturers excel in every single area of audio and/or products, so unlikely it'd be the killer option.

Manufacturers got to partner up with different audio suppliers in the High end audio sector and increase the number of vendors and manufacturers to sell one complete high end audio system by the main brand.

So there will be lots of innovation and developments very often. ☺️

 

[The_Lecht_Rocks]

Yes, I just found out that all floor standing loudspeakers now come with a port.

ATC SCM40 floorstanders and no port or transmission line in sight.