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Speakers for small room system?

GF670

GF670

pfm Member
I’m thinking of putting together a second system in a room which is only 11 foot by 9 foot. The room is also used as a home office so has a computer, desk, bookcase etc. I currently have a pair of Harbeth M30.1 spare, but think they’re going to be far too big so am hoping to sell/exchange them for something smaller.

Does anybody have any recommendations as to fairly unobtrusive speakers that would work in a room of that size and how they should be configured (e.g. long wall or short wall, on bookcase against wall or in corners etc). I was thinking possibly LS3/5A but placement might be difficult? I would also need either a power or integrated amplifier so would be choosing based on the speakers.

The other option would be to just have a headphone system, or to have an all in one system, for example the new Ruark R410 looks good from an aesthetic perspective.
 
I've had Rega R1, ATC SCM7 & SCM10 all work really well in a small room. Although less of a fan, the Spendor S3/5R worked well too, anything LS3/5A should work well given they were designed for it.

Decent stands would be good but I've had good results on cabinets, although stuff like Auralex pads can help there.

Favourite were the Keesonic Kolt, similar to the LS3/5A spec but so rare so I try not to recommend them. I'd imagine the Proac Tablette 10 would be ideal.


System by Robert Seymour, on Flickr


System by Robert Seymour, on Flickr


System by Robert Seymour, on Flickr


System by Robert Seymour, on Flickr
 
As you don't mention budget or source intended, it could be anything from Rega System One and up.
The best office loudspeakers I've tried were Ophidians, tiny but what a sound, provided amp is powerfull, I ran mine with Naim 202/200.
Neat Iota wasn't bad either.
 
GF670 said:
I’m thinking of putting together a second system in a room which is only 11 foot by 9 foot. The room is also used as a home office so has a computer, desk, bookcase etc. I currently have a pair of Harbeth M30.1 spare, but think they’re going to be far too big so am hoping to sell/exchange them for something smaller.

Does anybody have any recommendations as to fairly unobtrusive speakers that would work in a room of that size and how they should be configured (e.g. long wall or short wall, on bookcase against wall or in corners etc). I was thinking possibly LS3/5A but placement might be difficult? I would also need either a power or integrated amplifier so would be choosing based on the speakers.

The other option would be to just have a headphone system, or to have an all in one system, for example the new Ruark R410 looks good from an aesthetic perspective.
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My home office/studio is even smaller: 5'6" x 9'9". I use small active studio monitors (Focal Shape 50) and overall I'm happy. In general you should fire down the length of the room. However since the room is so narrow, I strongly recommend getting a couple of acoustic panels to hang on either side of the listening position. It will help tremendously with stereo imaging.

The room and bass interaction is a problem in small rooms like this. The closer you position the speakers to the wall, the more bass is reinforced, but the more you pull them away, you push a bass "null" due to reflections off the rear wall down to lower frequencies, which are harder to manage if you want to try treating it. Otherwise, you just get used to a bass suckout around 100 Hz.

If you fire down the narrow dimension whilst sitting at the desk, you risk sitting in the centre of the room where there's a massive bass suckout.

Weren't LS3/5 designed for use in vans? Sounds perfect.
 
I wouldn't be so quick to just assume your current speakers won't work in the new room. Try them first and then decide.

As to location, the generally accepted (certainly from a technical point of view) orientation should always be speakers firing down the length of the room (i.e. with their backs to one of the short walls). But that's not always possible, so as with everything it'll be a case of doing your best to get them to sound their best at your given listening position by moving them around. The one golden rule should always be that everything is symetrical. i.e. each speaker is the same distance from all walls as the other speaker and both are equal distance from the listening position.
 
We have a small system in a 10 x 7 bedroom with the largest TV and sofa(bed) so a den with fold-out facility when needed. It houses a 55” OLED and the electronics on a shelf above it, shelving either side with bookshelf speakers in the shelving and a Leema subwoofer for sound depth to one side on the floor. Used for viewing rather than listening to be honest but the speakers are the very small Opera Superpavarotti about 20 years old and they have been ideal for this kind of cosy set up.
 
Thanks all - really helpful suggestions and comments, and lots to consider. Perhaps I’ll try setting up the Harbeths in the first instance and see how they sound. In terms of source I have a node 2i which I could use as well as a CD player which I can borrow from my main system. Budget would be up to 2k max (assuming that I can sell/px the Harbeths).
 
windhoek said:
KLH Model 5... sealed boxes that deliver one helluva big sound but without annoying your neightbours or overwhelming your room.
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These look good! I was thinking that fairly low speakers might not look as visually overbearing. I could try out my Tannoy Berkeleys but don’t fancy carrying them upstairs just for experimenting!
 
gustav_errata said:
My home office/studio is even smaller: 5'6" x 9'9". I use small active studio monitors (Focal Shape 50) and overall I'm happy. In general you should fire down the length of the room. However since the room is so narrow, I strongly recommend getting a couple of acoustic panels to hang on either side of the listening position. It will help tremendously with stereo imaging.

The room and bass interaction is a problem in small rooms like this. The closer you position the speakers to the wall, the more bass is reinforced, but the more you pull them away, you push a bass "null" due to reflections off the rear wall down to lower frequencies, which are harder to manage if you want to try treating it. Otherwise, you just get used to a bass suckout around 100 Hz.

If you fire down the narrow dimension whilst sitting at the desk, you risk sitting in the centre of the room where there's a massive bass suckout.

Weren't LS3/5 designed for use in vans? Sounds perfect.
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Thanks that’s really interesting to know about the bass interaction
 
GF670 said:
...In terms of source I have a node 2i which I could use...
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My approach on my second system is low budget, I've been using for years my PC as a source with my trusty Creek passive pre and a pair of studio monitors that I got in 2007, these speakers play long hours every day and they refuse to die! I just checked the node, it's a capable device so I wouldn't bother with a CDP. I'd use it with a pair of active studio speakers for less boxes & cables. Too many brands to choose but to stay low I suggest Kali or Neumann, Focal, Genelec for a higher budget. They have speakers of every size, personally I don't go less than a 5" woofer unless there are subs in the system.
 
Had some neat motive SX3s here recently that worked really well in my office, which is about the same size as your room.
 
Similarly sized room for my office, but I only use an integrated Pioneer and tuner. I have my small bookshelf-sized spkrs on brackets up on the wall; doesn't get in the way. I fire down my 9'6" x 7'6" room (always best to fire DOWN a room, i.m.o.). Current spkrs are Diamonds, which are ported, but I'm going to change to my JPW or TDL, which are both sealed boxes and therefore more suitable for wall-mounting. You may want a more up-market approach but it does me for the office.
 
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There is/was a Genelec 2.1 setup in the classifieds which was well in budget and could be driven direct from the Node.
Other than that, if you need to change speakers then an of the Q Acoustics 3xxx range would do an excellent job, driven with a Fosi V3 your looking at <£400.
 
Thanks all. I've just been playing around to see how the Harbeths would look. Perhaps a bit big?
The front centre of the speakers are 160cm apart, and 60cm from the front and side walls. If I put the chair in the middle of the room I would be just under 2 meters away.

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That looks like you would be too close if working at the desk. Would it not be better with some smaller, wall mountable speakers which you could aim at you?

Perhaps something like PMC DB1i / DBI gold, or similar.
 
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