Sigh... How can I buy speakers and keep my wife happy?

So we had some Definitive Technology Studio 350 speakers in the front of our home theater (in white), but they got damaged in a furnace blow back that sent soot all through our house.

The speakers were a total loss. So I bought a set of Wharfedale Jade 3's and Jade SR's to replace them.

The fact that I will soon be selling these on the forum will tell you what my wife thought of the size...

Don't get me wrong - they were bigger than I expected. And, in the end, she was right - they were too big to be mounted on our walls. And floor stands don't work in the shape of our living room.

So I bought some Focal Aria 906's for the front.

They are going back tomorrow.

I need to find a set of speakers for the front that are about $1,000-$1,500, about 12.5" tall, 8" wide, and 11" deep. Give or take...

They must be wall-mountable.

And they have to sound GOOD.

This has taken a month, and we are no closer than we were before. My wife feels bad for saying no, but I know we BOTH need to be happy with these - her with the size and looks, me with the sound.

I know this is the place to find out what might work for us. My fellow forum members - can you recommend a set of speakers that will satisfy us?

 

It will be VERY interesting to see what everyone comes up with.

Good luck.

 

You could always buy the speakers you want and along with them buy your wife a Chanel or Louis Vuitton purse or something. Maybe she wouldn't notice the speakers for awhile.

- Buck

 

Golden Ear SuperSat50. Taller than you want, but wall mountable.

Or Gallo Strada, but more expensive than your budget.

John K.

 

Good luck. My test of prospective wife is simple. Will you accept cornerhorns placed correctly? If not, keep looking. Bose and tiny speakers not even acceptable in my bathroom. Wife also gets something she likes too as well that is not my cup of tea. And equally costly. Flattery and a good mate gets you what you like and she likes.

 

KEF LS-50's in white.

 

Chris, Your wife needs to have a talk with mine. The result would mean you can have anything you want.......... Our Legacy's are 52" tall, 16" wide, 13" deep, weigh about 150 lbs. each and sit about 4 1/2 feet out from the back wall, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

 

No offense to the OP, but my word am I lucky. This kind of thing just simply isn't a conversation in our house and not because I'm some sort of tyrant either. I feel very fortunate the term "WAF" just doesn't apply to me.

OP, I can't be much help to your cause but drawing upon my days in Hi-Fi sales, we always had pretty good success selling Monitor Audio products to customers with the same parameters - good sound but attractive packaging, without a very high budget. Thing is, I don't know which, if any, of Monitor's current products are wall-mountable but wanted to at least throw out the brand for further investigation.

 

Buy some speaker cabs in either the shape of a flower pot or lamp shade and you might do well.

 

Another set of 350s? Do they need be white? Ebay has several sets well below your price point.

 

I'm fortunate that my wife is compliant when it comes to my hobbies and music. That said, as an NHT fanboy, maybe take a look at the Classic Three speakers. They tick all your boxes including wall mounting.

http://www.nhthifi.com/Three

BTW, I believe they pay shipping both ways (if you need to return them).

 

I guess Faye Dunaway's stacked quad esl 57 loudspeakers are out of the question.



The totem Kin Mini in white

Totem also makes in-wall speakers.

So... No Dolby Atmos setups in your future I take it...

What about a used pair of Harbeth P3esr's if you must compromise?

 

Totem Tribe Series? (On-wall and in-wall applications)

https://totemacoustic.com/en/series


But dayum I feel bad for you man.

 

Alta Solos -- http://alta-audio.com/collection/solo/

Alta is currently working on the wall mounting hardware/brackets for them. Killer little speakers.

 

You dudes who do not have to worry about WAF must be keeping you ladies very satisfied in other ways ( that we will not go into here since this forum is suppose to be family friendly ).

 

Wives & speaker size do not go together.

 

Focal 906s are tiny! I wonder why she's complaining

 

I have the same issue in the family room where WAF is a big part of the equation. Luckily I have a listening room. Even if it is in the basement and doubles as my office.

 

Do both goals have to be accomplished in the same task?

 

Buck is a wise man. I find that Bottega Veneta works particularly well. If you want really large speakers, you may even have to consider jewelry.

"Bribery" is an ugly word, but it is not illegal in this context and can be very useful. Indeed, if you are clever, it does not even have to be expressly linked to the speakers. Do not disregard the obvious solution.

 

I am definitely sure if WAF is the limiting factor sonus faber is the answer. My oldest sister HATES HiFi and loud music like the pest. So imagine my surprise when I watched her findly touching the leather surface on my little but brilliant sounding/looking TOYS on speaker stands !!!!
You can also place them on a shelf with as little as 3 inches space to get the accented bass from the back ported vent. Toys are by now out of production but you can still find them pretty cheap. They been replaced by the Chameleon or VENERE, which are not as nice looking, so better opt for a higher price range and check , what models are available USED- unless you can afford the price of the new Olympus bookshelves .

 

Honestly, this is exactly what I do. I factor in a gift budget into every piece of equipment I buy. While stereo equipment is not the most practical use of a household budget it is more so than jewelry. The speakers in my living room are about 80lb's each, I had to buy a new couch.

It is really tough to get speakers that sound great to match up with a ladies idea of interior design.

 

Buy a wife and keep the speakers happy

 

I need to check the size of my Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 65's. They may be a little bit to big for you, but they sound great.

 

Dali do some was mount flat speakers. Mission had their NXT models years ago. No idea what the Dalis are one but might be well worth considering given the circumstances!

Edit: the model is the Dali Ikon. Or the Phantom version in white!