Help me fit speakers into this space

I've got a pretty large room that I want to outfit with a 2 channel hifi. I would spend up to 3k area for speakers, hopefully second hand. But it's a bit of a tight fit. I thought maybe Proacs but would like any other suggestions. Especially if there's something that isn't just a black box. Something with some design would be really nice.

I think the only place for the speakers is on either side of the fireplace. The inner doors don't open, just the outer 2 doors, so there's no risk of a door swinging into the speakers. Width: a foot between the french door and the stones of the fireplace. Depth: a foot and a half between the back wall and the front edge of the hearth. Height: the bottom of the mantle is 5 feet high. I can go a little wider but I don't want the speakers protruding beyond the stone hearth given that it's a walkway.

So I need something quite slim and narrow but can be 4 to 5 feet tall.

 

Consider these:

http://www.evolutionacoustics.com/loudspeakers/microone/

They were originally around $2500-$2700 new with stands, but seem to have gone up to $4k now. Used models would be well within your reach.

You could add a sub (or two) later if needed.

 

What electronics will you be using with them? What music styles do you listen to?

 

Every kind of music including classical, jazz, rock, pop, country, opera everything. I don't have the electronics worked out yet. A nice solid state integrated amp, a digital source, and a record player. I plan to run wires through the walls. There's a basement below so I'll drop the wires down there and run them up to where the speakers are.

 

Yes more info please. You will also need something that will sound good flush against the wall. I'm also assuming that you'll want something pretty close to full range or will you be hiding a sub somewhere?

 

I would consider arrangements where the rug and seating areas were set at angles (not 90° to the walls), and possibly utilize the back corner (where the couches back up to) for the stereo and speakers, which would fire into the room. You would minimize the first reflections off the side walls, and have a less symmetrical back wall. The trick would be to get one chair, probably to the side of the fireplace, that was a dedicated sweet spot sitting position, but also have that chair work organically with the other furniture.

I like the idea of an MTM stand mount, so it could fire over stuffed furniture. Front ported designs can be nice if the back wall is glass or asymmetrical.

 

Rega RS series, or maybe the new RX range. Can work next to the wall.

 

The fuller the frequency range the better, there won't be any sub. I can't rearrange the furniture. I am looking to place the speakers quite close to the wall on either side of the fireplace. Stands would be fine and floor standers would be too. I was hoping to find something narrow enough to take up about a foot or foot and a half and something whose front can be 18" from wall. I'm a little more flexible on width but depth is kind of tougher because people walk in front of the fireplace to get to that bedroom past the French door.

 

I agree with speakers by the fireplace and TV, since that is the focal point and symmetric. But here's an alternative idea, since I see the TV above the fireplace. Personally, I would absolutely want the speakers up by the TV. Not just for TV sound, since it is weird if the sound comes from 3' below the TV, but because tall towers next to the fireplace will radically alter the look of the whole room, and not for the better. It will inevitably be more cluttered. I would go for in-walls, which $3k should get you something nice from an top brand. Of course, in-walls can vibrate the drywall, which can be a negative. Since this is an outside wall, if it is stuffed with insulation and stuccoed, the back might not be a problem. The front might and then another question becomes: is there a firebreak in the wall? If the in-walls don't have enough bass, a sub could sit on one side of the fireplace but not be so obtrusive as a 5' speaker.

You can also consider on-wall speakers, although those are typically very low sensitivity which I don't like.

Or, if you really don't care about the space, how about Hedlund Horns:



Martin-Logans with their semitransparent screen might be another idea. Ideally they go farther into the room but I think you would be OK with your space available. For all types of music it's probably hard to be top B & W models like a Diamond series tower, either new or gently used. KEF is also possible. There are just so many brands, but you have a beautiful room so get something beautiful is what I say.

By the way, is your hearth solid? I'm betting not. THAT would be a great place to build some subwoofers into, especially maybe firing out each side. That would make in-walls or on-walls all the more feasible.

 

As mentioned above, Rega would be a great choice in that arrangement. The all new RX line will be here in the US in a month or two.

http://www.rega.co.uk/loudspeakers.html

The 3 and 5 would both fall under your price point (5 is right at it). Or you could see if you could find any of the RS line.

 

The Rega RS3 and RS5 are certainly narrow enough for your location. I own RS3 and like them very much paired with the Rega Brio R integrated amplifier.

 

Yeah, was looking those up after they were mentioned above and I think they'd be a good fit. The Rega ads suggest they are ok to locate close to the back wall too which is a key constraint here. My wife for some reason likes the look of Totem speakers, which might work too? The Brio R is definitely on my shortlist.

 

Hi,

So........How big is the basement?

You could have yourself a fantastic room down there just waiting!!!

Cheers

 

http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/hi-fi_series/r_series/fact_sheet/Floorstanding/r700/index.html

 

The basement is very doable for a hifi. I might go that route but the simple fact is we just don't hang out there much and I don't see myself checking out from the family (2yr old daughter included!) to listen to records. It's pretty much got to be in this room if I'm gonna use it. I'll check out the KEFs and the Magneplanars.

 

Magneplanars?

That will be like putting two screens in the room, and will definitely be an issue with the doors.

 

I'm curious, where in NYC can you have a property of that size?

 

Hamptons...

 

Have her take a look at the new Rega RX line (replacement for the RS). I bet she will like the looks of those a tad better.

 

the white KEF R500 or R700 would look good in there I think, sorta blend in a little. Seems like the R500 is a better fit, but I'm not familiar with either of these. Yeah, the Maggies are out...

 

Room too large for the R500s. IMHO.

 

R700 ok in your opinion? those I think are still in the price range. What amp would you pair them with? (I like solid state)

 

I was going to suggest looking at Totems. I have been very happy with my Forests for a long time now. I have a small room and checked my fronts are about 22" from the wall. They image well although I can get mine closer than you will it looks like, decent enough bass. They have smaller options as well

 

I am pairing R900s with a Musical Fidelity M6i. Powerful but detailed.

 

I've not heard them but there is a smaller Maggie that goes on-wall:


http://www.magnepan.com/model_MMGW
http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/magnepan/mmgw.html

I wouldn't place them that close to the TV but you get the idea. You'd probably need a sub. A small wireless one could be made unobtrusive.