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Restarting from scratch, audio setup in a small room.

hifi72

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I’m in the process of deciding on a new system from the ground up that I’ll be be happy with. Budget 3-$4k. Much less would be great as well.

Currently have a dedicated music room that houses my vinyl collection and a Yamaha piano in the back corner. Sources are a Rega P6 w Ania cart and a squeezebox touch. Measurements of room are 11W x 14L x 9H. Perhaps considered “small”. I have built 24”x48”x4” acoustic panels from yellow rigid Roxul in a wooden frame, installed behind and to the side. The room’s “reverb time”(?) is around 0.35 that I’ve measured. So not particularly bad reflection wise. I’ve tried a few speakers with a Yamaha A-S1200 and couldn’t get the sound where I wanted it. Actually found the bass response far weaker in the 1200 than the old Yamaha AX592 I owned. Speakers I have tried are Focal Aria 926 and Wharfedale Linton. So I’ve sold the lot except for the Lintons and looking for something that works in this room. I suspect higher power amp with revealing bookshelves that will dig low.

Considering Monitor Audio silver 100, B&W 600 range, maybe the Focal Chora if it has better bass. Sonus Faber Lumina. Or Revel concerta 2. Again my worry is bass to balance the highs. Once the speaker is decided I’ll find an amp to compliment it.

Certainly my amplifier is an old Harman Kardon AVR110 receiver. It’s fine, and not day and night with the as1200 honestly. But it will be switched out at some point.

I listen to rock mostly so I like the rhythm and punch and good fidelity for everything else for artists like like John Prine etc, or my hi-res files. I enjoy good low end but not interested in a rolled off laid back system.

Thanks if you made it all the way though and have any suggestions.
 

dshreter

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Can you list the components you plan or prefer to keep? Are you keeping the Lintons or no?
 

DJBonoBobo

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Based on my experience with bass in a small room i would say you probably need a subwoofer. One option i am familiar with could be this: Neumann KH120 + KH750 + MA1 ~ 3.5K
Many other possibilities, of course.
 
OP
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hifi72

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Can you list the components you plan or prefer to keep? Are you keeping the Lintons or no?
I’m planning to sell. I feel they are too large for the room and not getting the most out of want they can do. I’ll keep the squeezebox as it’s been very dependable and has a remote. As well the Rega as it works well. I don’t know if that would be a weak link.
 

dshreter

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Do you have a strong bias towards active or passive speakers? If going active, something like KH150 should do everything you need in a room that size even without subwoofers. Paired with a MiniDSP Flex should be perfect.

Over time you could choose to add subwoofers or add Dirac, but I’m not sure either are necessary.
 

NiagaraPete

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Based on my experience with bass in a small room i would say you probably need a subwoofer. One option i am familiar with could be this: Neumann KH120 + KH750 + MA1 ~ 3.5K
Many other possibilities, of course.
This would be my pick, or Genelec 8050 or better 8350+GLM.
 

mkt

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Maybe a little radical
2x Genelec 8330A
Genelec 7350A
Genelec GLM
$3,587.64 at Sweetwater. You can connect your Touch to the Genelecs via AES (coax + transformer)
 
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hifi72

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Do you have a strong bias towards active or passive speakers? If going active, something like KH150 should do everything you need in a room that size even without subwoofers. Paired with a MiniDSP Flex should be perfect.

Over time you could choose to add subwoofers or add Dirac, but I’m not sure either are necessary.
Is the KH150 a studio monitor? Or meant for applications like mine? I’m not opposed to powered speakers as I have Klipsch The Fives in another room for our upstairs TV. Fun speakers, even in a large room, (once the update came out and I can flatten the enhanced bass a bit.)
 

NiagaraPete

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Is the KH150 a studio monitor? Or meant for applications like mine? I’m not opposed to powered speakers as I have Klipsch The Fives in another room for our upstairs TV. Fun speakers, even in a large room, (once the update came out and I can flatten the enhanced bass a bit.)
Yes it is. The Klipsch are not near in the same league of active. Both Neumann and Genelec are top shelf.
 

dshreter

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Is the KH150 a studio monitor? Or meant for applications like mine? I’m not opposed to powered speakers as I have Klipsch The Fives in another room for our upstairs TV. Fun speakers, even in a large room, (once the update came out and I can flatten the enhanced bass a bit.)
It is a studio monitor, but it is a premier performance speaker for home as well.
 

NiagaraPete

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It was just reviewed here, It may be out of your price range though.

 
OP
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hifi72

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Yes it is. The Klipsch are not near in the same league of active. Both Neumann and Genelec are top shelf.
I’ll check some instrument shops around and see if I can find a pair to demo. I’ve seen a pair of Focal Solo 6be used locally. Not sure if they are more in line with Klipsch compared to the brands mentioned above.
 

TimW

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I will echo what @anotherhobby said but replace the BMRs with the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX which have objectively excellent performance.

Also, where are you located OP? I ask because you listed a lot of European brands in the first post and that will affect availability of certain products. If you are in Europe you may want to consider an Audiophonics amp rather than the Buckeye, although idk how that works if you're in the UK.

As @dshreter pointed out, the KH150 is an excellent speaker. Yes it is a studio monitor but it appears to output more than enough volume to fill a small room (not just for near-field use). I would definitely look at their MA-1 system for room correction if you go that route, which is another $300 US. There are limitations to connectivity though, with no easy way to connect and switch between your turntable and streamer natively. And no output for subwoofers(?). So you would still need a preamp which would probably put you over budget and without subwoofers.
 
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hifi72

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It was just reviewed here, It may be out of your price range though.

I just noticed the “each”. Yes, they would be out of my price range unfortunately. I was thinking for the pair.
 
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hifi72

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I will echo what @anotherhobby said but replace the BMRs with the Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX which have objectively excellent performance.

Also, where are you located OP? I ask because you listed a lot of European brands in the first post and that will affect availability of certain products. If you are in Europe you may want to consider an Audiophonics amp rather than the Buckeye, although idk how that works if you're in the UK.

As @dshreter pointed out, the KH150 is an excellent speaker. Yes it is a studio monitor but it appears to output more than enough volume to fill a small room (not just for near-field use). I would definitely look at their MA-1 system for room correction if you go that route, which is another $300 US. There are limitations to connectivity though, with no easy way to connect and switch between your turntable and streamer natively. And no output for subwoofers(?). So you would still need a preamp which would probably put you over budget and without subwoofers.
I’m in Canada, sorry I should have noted that in the initial post.
 

NiagaraPete

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I’m in Canada, sorry I should have noted that in the initial post.
Deals can be had in Canada. I’ll DM you some links later today.
 
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LightninBoy

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