AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › How much speaker (size) do I really need for my room?
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

How much speaker (size) do I really need for my room?

post #1 of 14
3/9/11 at 5:51pm
Thread Starter 
For about 5 years I've run a set of small bookshelves (5 in woofer) + sub in various size rooms, up to 20x15. Crossed over at 80-100, it never really felt like much was missing.

Eventually I got my own man cave (10x15) and decided to go all out the other way and picked up a few klipsch floor standers with dual 8 inch woofers. Soon enough I mated them with a quality 15 inch velodyne sub, and while there's no doubt their low end extends well below the small bookshelves, Im still crossing over at 80 for a few good reasons, and I can't help but feel like the floor standers are just total overkill.

I've decided that I want to upgrade to a higher quality, now the question really is how large I truly need these new speakers to be in a modest sized room, crossed over to a quality sub at 80hz. This obviously has major ramifications as to what this upgrade will end up costing me.

I often listen at near reference level, and I'd like to reach those levels of volume without too much distortion. Will bookshelves with 6 inch drivers really suffice when mated to a sub, or is there a good reason to have all those extra large woofers?
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 14
3/9/11 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bd2003 View Post

For about 5 years I've run a set of small bookshelves (5 in woofer) + sub in various size rooms, up to 20x15. Crossed over at 80-100, it never really felt like much was missing.

Eventually I got my own man cave (10x15) and decided to go all out the other way and picked up a few klipsch floor standers with dual 8 inch woofers. Soon enough I mated them with a quality 15 inch velodyne sub, and while there's no doubt their low end extends well below the small bookshelves, Im still crossing over at 80 for a few good reasons, and I can't help but feel like the floor standers are just total overkill.

I've decided that I want to upgrade to a higher quality, now the question really is how large I truly need these new speakers to be in a modest sized room, crossed over to a quality sub at 80hz. This obviously has major ramifications as to what this upgrade will end up costing me.

I often listen at near reference level, and I'd like to reach those levels of volume without too much distortion. Will bookshelves with 6 inch drivers really suffice when mated to a sub, or is there a good reason to have all those extra large woofers?

I personally dont see the need for floorstanders..in a 10x15 room. I run bookshelfs in my 19x19 ht room and it's PlENTY. If you like Klipsch(some people dont)...i run the rb-61 series ii with matching center and theyre phenomenal. And if theyre not enough...there is the rb-81. I also listen at or close to reference alot of the time. If you're setup properly, distortion should not be a problem
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 14
3/9/11 at 6:30pm
A good 6" 2-way, will work real good in that room - With a good sub.
And you may enjoy it more.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 14
3/9/11 at 8:15pm
"When I get my money I'm going to have a stereo system that blows girls' clothes off"


It really depends on the quality of bookshelf speaker you are talking about. Klipsch are decent (I'd say on the low end of high end or high end of middle of the pack, however you want to slice it) but there are also others out there like Kef, Episode, Focal, Dynaudio, Bowers and Wilkins (B&W), Definitive Technologies, Martin Logan, Wharfedale...I could go on for days.

I agree with Zieg that for that space a good 2 way 6.5" bookshelf would sound great. I'd suggest the Wharfedale Diamond 10.2's with their matching center. I don't know who has them on the net anymore as Wild West Electronics is not an authorized net dealer. The Mordaunt Aviano 2 from http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/m...-speakers.html would work as well though I believe it's a bit pricier than what they had the Diamond 10.2 at. Then again brick and mortar store may have the 10.2 for the same price as the Aviano 2 and I'd choose the Aviano over the Wharfedale if nothing else for the cabinet color choices.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 14
3/9/11 at 9:57pm
I think it's good to have some extension because the crossover is not a brick wall.

So rather than accepting a speaker with a -3 dB low end of 80hz, I feel better with at least 60hz, even though the THX specified slow is 24 dB / octave.

At minimum, 80 hz, but lower seems better? Maybe you don't need response down to 40hz. So 60 hz as a compromise?
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 14
3/10/11 at 5:03am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by MichaelJHuman View Post

I think it's good to have some extension because the crossover is not a brick wall.

So rather than accepting a speaker with a -3 dB low end of 80hz, I feel better with at least 60hz, even though the THX specified slow is 24 dB / octave.

At minimum, 80 hz, but lower seems better? Maybe you don't need response down to 40hz. So 60 hz as a compromise?

Yeah, that was always my theory on it, that I'd need some real extension under 80hz in order for it to really mix well without a hole.

The klipsch are alright, they're good at what they do, but I'm looking for something a bit less harsh, a bit more refined, balanced and transparent. I have to EQ the hell out of the klipsch in order to get them somewhat flat in my room.

The room is pretty well treated, I've got a few acoustic panels up, carpeting, heavy cloth furniture and drapery, so it really needs to come down to a straight speaker upgrade.

I was considering the paradigm studio 10 or 20 mainly right now, to give everyone an idea of the price and quality range Im targeting at. Any other suggestions that are comparable?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 14
3/10/11 at 8:02am
It has been my experience that even in a small room, low sensitivity hi-fi speakers are a compromise for dynamics, even 10db below reference.

You might want to at least explore the option of real high sensitivity speakers with a higher f3 - 60 hz or so.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 14
3/10/11 at 8:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve71 View Post

It has been my experience that even in a small room, low sensitivity hi-fi speakers are a compromise for dynamics, even 10db below reference.

You might want to at least explore the option of real high sensitivity speakers with a higher f3 - 60 hz or so.

I guess those paradigms are considered low sensitivity? Any other recommendations for something in the same class?
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 14
3/10/11 at 8:57am
Take a look at the NHT Classic 3s.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 14
3/10/11 at 9:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bd2003 View Post

I guess those paradigms are considered low sensitivity? Any other recommendations for something in the same class?

High sensitivity is considered anything above 96db/w/m. However that is a specification that can be easily fudged.

Under $500 per speaker, your only real option is the Chase Home Theater SHO/PRO-10's.

http://www.chasehometheater.com/inde...id=53&TreeId=1

If used is an option then you might get lucky and find some JTR Tripple 8's.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 14
3/10/11 at 9:12am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve71 View Post


High sensitivity is considered anything above 96db/w/m. However that is a specification that can be easily fudged.

Under $500 per speaker, your only real option is the Chase Home Theater SHO/PRO-10's.

http://www.chasehometheater.com/inde...id=53&TreeId=1

If used is an option then you might get lucky and find some JTR Tripple 8's.

Used is my only option, which is why Im hoping to find something high end that's recognizable. I'm in no particular rush, I hope to put it together hunting for as long as it takes.

I've had plenty of luck with the really recognizable name brands like Polk or klipsch on craigslist...any other places I should be searching for less recognizable brands?
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 14
3/10/11 at 9:14am
You really can't go wrong with those Paradigms. I'd suggest looking at the Wharfedale's I mentioned (if you can find a dealer), the Dynaudio Contour, or maybe Focal Utopia's (though those are a bit pricey).
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 14
3/10/11 at 9:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bd2003 View Post

Used is my only option, which is why Im hoping to find something high end that's recognizable. I'm in no particular rush, I hope to put it together hunting for as long as it takes.

I've had plenty of luck with the really recognizable name brands like Polk or klipsch on craigslist...any other places I should be searching for less recognizable brands?

Used on Craig's list is great - simply because you can experiment. If you don't like it, then just resell it, you're only out for your time.

Audiogon has a lot of used high-end speakers, but high efficiency offerings might be hard to come by and very expensive. Then there is the for sale section of this forum - I've seen JTR's for sale there. You could get lucky on ebay...

If WAF is not an issue, some people have had success with JBL speakers from their professional cinema line for smaller theaters.

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/Genera...x?FId=31&MId=1

Craig's list is also a good place to find klipsch heresys, or cornwalls if you have the space.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 14
3/10/11 at 9:38am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by steve71 View Post


Used on Craig's list is great - simply because you can experiment. If you don't like it, then just resell it, you're only out for your time.

Audiogon has a lot of used high-end speakers, but high efficiency offerings might be hard to come by and very expensive. Then there is the for sale section of this forum - I've seen JTR's for sale there. You could get lucky on ebay...

If WAF is not an issue, some people have had success with JBL speakers from their professional cinema line for smaller theaters.

http://www.jblpro.com/catalog/Genera...x?FId=31&MId=1

Craig's list is also a good place to find klipsch heresys, or cornwalls if you have the space.

Yep! I paid only $350 or so for each set of the RF-35 floorstanders, which is like under 50% of their retail price. I'm sure I can sell them for the same. Hoping to find a similar deal on a smaller, higher end bookshelf to more appropriately match my room, and I suspect it won't really cost me much of anything but some patience.

Its my man cave so there is no WAF, but it's kinda tight so I need to keep the size reasonable.
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Speakers

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › How much speaker (size) do I really need for my room?