best low-mid volume speaker for apartment
mule -- Mon, 04/19/2010 - 19:14
hi everyone . Any suggestions on good < $10k speakers for an end unit apartment? Neighbors are one-side and above only, carpeted over basement-8' ceiling. Living-dining-kitchen is 400 square feet combined with 8' walk-around divider seperating kitchen. I prefer the speakers against the 20' long wall in living space. 3' from wall is as far into the room as I can go. The system is Bryston BCD-1, BP-26, 3B-sst. Is there a floorstander or stand-mount that doesn't need to be driven hard to open up?
regards, tom
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Electrostats perform really well at low volumes. However, you will have to pull them away minimum of 3 feet from the wall and / or treat the wall to absorb the back wave. Good Luck!
Bryston and PMC have a close association, as the loudspeaker company designs its products on Bryston amps, distributes them and recommends them as partners in its studio monitor range. PMC's new Fact loudspeaker range could be a very fine match, as they will work 3' from the wall.
Alan Sircom
Editor, Hi-Fi Plus Magazine
London, England
editor [at] hifiplus [dot] com
I would highly recommend the Harbeth Super HL5. They have a beautifully natural, clean and balanced sound. They offer fully detailed sound at normal listening levels ( I listen to mine at moderate - low levels) and 3' into the room should be enough.
thanks for your reply , do you think the 40.1 bass would overwhelm the room?
How about finding a pair of used LS3/5A's. They were my first audiophile speaker and I had them when I was living in a small apartment. They still sound like heaven, just find a great integrated tube amp (maybe a Jadis?) and you will be in heaven.
Give Sonus Faber Cremona Auditor M's a listen.
Finding used dunlavy SC IIs or Is would fit the bill. I think the SC IIs are the best small room speakers I have ever heard.
It sounds like you also want good sound throughout the entire space, so something taller might fit. I find that speakers with larger drivers perform well at low volumes. Have you tried Vandersteens?
I have heard Revel towers at low volumes and the Definitive ST's sound decent to me - 2 or 3 of these also allow you some bass tuning from the speaker, which can be handy in an apartment.
I also used to own a Joseph audio set, and I think the rm 25's are tall and sound nice at lower volume. Haven't heard the step up.
With your budget you should be pleased as punch with whatever you get. Happy hunting!!
You have a great CD player, preamp, and power amp with plenty of power on tap. Vandersteen models tend to be very inefficient, as are Usher Be-718's; so I would not suggest them unless you really like the sound. To answer your question of if there is a floor stander or a stand mount out there that is easy to drive ... ? Yes, many of them ... try Focal or Triangle or Paradigm perhaps.
Here's an idea: please tell us what types of music you like the most, how loud you could listen without having your neighbors call management or the police, how tall or large of a speaker you really want or like the sound of (stage height, etc.), what overall sound traits you like (such as very driving, visceral, punchy, alive, smooth, airy, warm, lean, lush mids, pin-point imaging like a mini monitor often has, etc.), how much bass is important to you (low frequency extension and tactile impact in particular), do you want floor standers or stand mounts or a subwoofer and satellite system, are you going to add any power conditioning (and if so, when and what brands and models and types such as filters or cords), and what brands and models of speakers you like so far regardless of price or size, etc. That will clue us all in so much more (basic sales qualifying questions to which we need honest answers from you to help you the most as we desire to for your good).
How much of that <$10K do you really want to spend or how much of it can you really spend ? <-- Obviously, in some ways that is none of my business, but an honest answer will make a difference in what you can or should consider for a few thorough auditions prior to purchasing. Keep in mind that you will need to include very good quality (matching or better) speaker cables of whatever brand, model, and style you go with in that <$10K figure as well as possible and suggested proper room acoustic treatment as applicable or allowed by the spouse.
In regard to that, I created an Autocad, to exact size / to scale floor plan of our former apartment which included fairly accurate depictions of the furniture and so on (basic shape and size) along with a few photos and sent them to Echo Busters for a full basic analysis and cost quote. They replied within a few days and showed what they would do and where each type of panel would go based on the what they saw and without factoring in any changes in layout of furniture, etc.
We await your thorough response please so that we can help you if possible.
thanks for reply. I decided on Harbeth SHL-5. Started building DIY stands for them.