Speakers for a small listening room

[Oxfordian]

Hi everyone,

I recently posted about my kit being stuck up in the loft for 20 years and the deck being damaged, as a follow on from this I though I would gather suggestions on kit to audition for our house move later this year.

My generous wife has given permission for me to have a dedicated ’Man Cave’, however this has to incorporate both my photography stuff and my music collection including kit. Now the room that I have been given is not big, 9ft x 9ft, based on this I believe that I won’t get the best out of my kit as it is;

Marantz CD50SE
Rega Planar 3 (once fixed)
Arcam Alpha 8 integrated amp
KEF Q35 speakers

My thoughts would be to go to a smaller set of speakers either sited on the top of units or on dedicated stands, having spent a bit of time researching this I think that the AE300 speakers look good for an audition, what I would really like is to have some suggestions on what other speakers I might consider or whether there is an alternative route that I should consider.

The plan for the KEF’s would be to use them in a small AV set up in the lounge as they have to be better than a sound bar or standard TV speakers and we don’t want to go to a full surround sound set up. I have to explore this option more fully and intend to discuss this idea with our local HiFi shop once it reopens.

All suggestions welcome on how to move forward will be gratefully received.

Many thanks.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Hi everyone,

I recently posted about my kit being stuck up in the loft for 20 years and the deck being damaged, as a follow on from this I though I would gather suggestions on kit to audition for our house move later this year.

My generous wife has given permission for me to have a dedicated ’Man Cave’, however this has to incorporate both my photography stuff and my music collection including kit. Now the room that I have been given is not big, 9ft x 9ft, based on this I believe that I won’t get the best out of my kit as it is;

Marantz CD50SE
Rega Planar 3 (once fixed)
Arcam Alpha 8 integrated amp
KEF Q35 speakers

My thoughts would be to go to a smaller set of speakers either sited on the top of units or on dedicated stands, having spent a bit of time researching this I think that the AE300 speakers look good for an audition, what I would really like is to have some suggestions on what other speakers I might consider or whether there is an alternative route that I should consider.

The plan for the KEF’s would be to use them in a small AV set up in the lounge as they have to be better than a sound bar or standard TV speakers and we don’t want to go to a full surround sound set up. I have to explore this option more fully and intend to discuss this idea with our local HiFi shop once it reopens.

All suggestions welcome on how to move forward will be gratefully received.

Many thanks.

I don't know your budget but ill give you some pie in the sky ideas.

If it were me in a room that small id seriously consider 2 routes one being active speakers. fewer boxes more room for you and your photography gear ( I have the same problem being creative myself). You have options from Kef, Elac, Dali, Dynaudio, PMC, AE and ATC oh and Sonos, all at various different price points. and some of these have phono stages some need a pre to get them working.

the other route would be a headphone setup. can be a pretty simple setup, a chord mojo and a set cans of your choice or you can go for a dedicated amp, some have phono stages and a dacs on board for easy connection to a computer.

If you just wanted to change your speakers the worlds your oyster pick your budget and size and go from there
klipchs
kef
tannoy
fyne audio
q acoustics

all make small speakers and do more expensive brands.

 

[Friesiansam]

I'll second the headphones suggestion. If you've never listened to good, modern headphones, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good they can be.

 

[Oxfordian]

I don't know your budget but ill give you some pie in the sky ideas.

If it were me in a room that small id seriously consider 2 routes one being active speakers. fewer boxes more room for you and your photography gear ( I have the same problem being creative myself). You have options from Kef, Elac, Dali, Dynaudio, PMC, AE and ATC oh and Sonos, all at various different price points. and some of these have phono stages some need a pre to get them working.

the other route would be a headphone setup. can be a pretty simple setup, a chord mojo and a set cans of your choice or you can go for a dedicated amp, some have phono stages and a dacs on board for easy connection to a computer.

If you just wanted to change your speakers the worlds your oyster pick your budget and size and go from there
klipchs
kef
tannoy
fyne audio
q acoustics

all make small speakers and do more expensive brands.

Thanks for the feedback, some interesting suggestions which I will follow up on, as for budget I hadn’t really thought about that, the AE300’s are around £600 and that seemed okay so I suppose in or around that figure.

Headphones are not something that I had ever considered for serious listening, I have some B&O ones that I was bought few years back, they get used when SWMBO is watching Corriedale or Emmer Street, not sure that this is a route that I want to go down as my ears get very hot when wearing phones but that could be the phones. Anyway, it is not an unappealing idea and one worthy of further investigation.

 

[Oxfordian]

I'll second the headphones suggestion. If you've never listened to good, modern headphones, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how good they can be.

As mentioned on a previous reply this is not something that I have considered, what would you suggest I take a look at?

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Deleted member 116933]

Thanks for the feedback, some interesting suggestions which I will follow up on, as for budget I hadn’t really thought about that, the AE300’s are around £600 and that seemed okay so I suppose in or around that figure.

Headphones are not something that I had ever considered for serious listening, I have some B&O ones that I was bought few years back, they get used when SWMBO is watching Corriedale or Emmer Street, not sure that this is a route that I want to go down as my ears get very hot when wearing phones but that could be the phones. Anyway, it is not an unappealing idea and one worthy of further investigation.

Have a look at a place called Massdrop (now called Drop) loads of headphone stuff for somewhat "cheaper" specifically made for them and there specs buy popular brands such as Sennheiser eg 6xx/8xx

600 notes would buy you quite a serious setup and you wouldn't be disturbing anybody. I'm now starting to look into it as we're thinking about starting a family.

Ill sell the dream a little.

Nice leather chair, whisky on one hand liner notes in the other nice low lighting a nice smelly candle burning
and none of this "TURN IT DOWN" lol

But it's completely up to you. I was just giving food for thought

 

[Oxfordian]

Have a look at a place called Massdrop (now called Drop) loads of headphone stuff for somewhat "cheaper" specifically made for them and there specs buy popular brands such as Sennheiser eg 6xx/8xx

600 notes would buy you quite a serious setup and you wouldn't be disturbing anybody. I'm now starting to look into it as we're thinking about starting a family.

Ill sell the dream a little.

Nice leather chair, whisky on one hand liner notes in the other nice low lighting a nice smelly candle burning
and none of this "TURN IT DOWN" lol

But it's completely up to you. I was just giving food for thought

I appreciate the feedback and the suggestion, I will follow up on this, thanks.

 

[Deleted member 108165]

Headphones are nice for late at night but I still prefer speakers every time.

 

[Oxfordian]

Headphones are nice for late at night but I still prefer speakers every time.

I have to be honest the suggestion to go headphones wasn’t what I expected, I can see the logic I will only have a smallish room to set my kit up in and ideally speakers need space around them to work at their best so good quality phones would be a great alternative.

But I am a bit of a traditionalist and whilst I am going to explore the headphones option as I like the idea, my first goal is to get speakers. But which ones?

 

[MrReaper182]

You may wanna look at the PSB Imagine minis. I never heard them but I do own their big brothers and their big brothers sound great What hi fi did a review of them many years ago in their magazine so if you look online you might be able find a old What hi fi review of them.

 

[Oxfordian]

You may wanna look at the PSB Imagine minis. I never heard them but I do own their big brothers and their big brothers sound great What hi fi did a review of them many years ago in their magazine so if you look online you might be able find a old What hi fi review of them.

Thank you for the suggestion, just found the WHF review from 2014, so will have a read.