Speaker Recommendation - rear wall & floor loading

I wonder if anyone can recommend me a speaker that could be suitable replacement for my current AR18s's?

My criteria is quite specific, my room is 10ft x 20ft and the speakers sit on the long wall (not in corners), so whatever I try needs to be happy only an inch or two from the rear wall. In addition my current speakers sit on the floor, a concrete floor that is carpeted. My AR18s speakers manage these restrictions well, I have always been told that they lived on the floor of the control room at Island's studio.

I know many bookshelf or nearfield monitors benefit from being on stands at ear level, but I hope there are speakers out there that are happy to sit vertically at a lower level. I probably don't the space for full-on floor standing towers. Perhaps some vintage linn or naim speakers? I would love AR3a but fear that my listening room is too small to get them fully blooming. Perhaps the Advent Loudspeaker?

Any recommendations greatly appreciated.

 

I have a similar room and layout. Long wall placement and a 10x21 foot room. I’m enjoying Rega RS1’s at the present time and they are happy with near wall placement despite the rear port. I think they are voiced to accommodate near wall placement. I use 24 inch stands. Ears slightly above the top of the speaker cabinet and they are designed with tweeter below mid/woofer. Very quick and open sounding. I do use a small single sub for low bass fill.

 

Well, since you like AR's, why not AR9's, 90's, 91's, 92's, 93's or 94's (an AR18 on steroids, with and extra 8" woofer)? Or even AR LST's and LST-2's. All were designed for rear wall placement. Plus, don't fear about over-driving AR3a's. Acoustic Research used AR3/a's, for their Demo Room, in Grand Central Station. They even used AR3's as P.A. speakers, above their Demo Room...! They can handle some power.



Oh yea, early Allison's were designed with the room in mind. Also, Boston Acoustics A400's They need rear wall placement too.

 

Thank you both, some recommendations i didn't know of which I will look and listen to.

 

Some further research and interesting reading here has given me a shortlist of speakers that might work well in or close to a quarter space (wall floor boundary):

AR10 pi
Linn Isobarik
JBL L100 century
Klipsch KG-4
Boston Acoustics A-400
AR2A
AR91
Wharfedale W60
Large Advent Speaker
AR11
AR98LS
Rega RS1 or RS3

Any comment on the above and I'd love to hear them. Many are vintage so I probably won't have access to trying before buying. I think it will largely come down to what becomes available and when.

 

Of what's on the list, I've only heard the Boston A400's, and the AR91's. I could live with either. Both offer deep punchy bass response, with good timbre and transient snap. Lively and dynamic too. Neither are too laid back or rolled off. Of the 2, the Boston's have a less forward midrange. The dome midrange, on the 91's, is very revealing. An awesome driver. Worth using with proper gear. You'd need decent high current power for either speaker.

 

Guru? Not sure where you could find them in UK but it should be possible.

Guru Audio: "The Junior" loudspeaker