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Choosing new speakers

Aslund

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Hello everyone

First of all a big thanks to everyone who shared their opinion regarding my quest on finding an all-in-one amplifier in https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...all-in-one-amplifier.24649/page-3#post-839986
The short recap is that I am interested in Lyngdorf TDAI-1120 but my current speakers, Dali 850, is not a good match. The Lyngdorf has a much better separation of the sound which highlights that the bass is quite boomy. RoomPerfect helps but doesn't eliminate the problem.
I have therefore been searching for a pair of speakers to match Lyngdorf TDAI-1120. Since I am from Denmark my choice of speakers is limited to what is available here. Another problem is placement, my current speakers are positioned quite close to the wall, which might also explain the boomy bass that I experience, so I need something that is more insensitive to placement. Pictures can be seen here: https://lensdump.com/a/ZNpa1
I was also told to focus on 4 ohm speakers for the Lyngdorf TDAI-1120.

I visited one dealer in my area which has Dynaudio Emit 50 and Dynaudio Evoke 50 on display.
https://www.dynaudio.com/home-audio/emit/emit-50
https://www.dynaudio.com/home-audio/evoke/evoke-50
I much say I was quite impressed with Emit 50 given the price. It has a good full sound and amazing bass. There was a few hiccups with the bass in a few songs but it might be due to the room being quite small. The audition room was around 4m x 4m and treated. The Evoke 50 was absolutely terrible in that room, the bass was totally off and I did not enjoy them at all. They might sound better in a bigger room but I am a bit hesitant since my experience with them left me the impression that they are quite picky with placement.

Another speaker I have been looking at is the Sonus Faber Lumina V.
https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/products/lumina-v/
Sadly I was not able to find any dealer with Lumina V, but I visited one which had Lumina III on display. That room was even smaller, around 4m x 3m with concrete floor and the back-wall treated. Here the Lumina III again has the issue with bass and it was not a pleasant experience.

Lastly I have tried Sonus Faber Sonetto V.
https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/products/sonetto-v/
That was auditioned at a third dealer with a bigger room, maybe 5m x 5m. The sound really left an amazing impression with me. They where not as bass heavy as Emit 50. Emit 50 could really shift the bass according to what is played, something I a bit missed with Sonetto V, but it has a full and deep sound. The high frequencies really stood out and I enjoyed the ability to suddenly hear things in my music I did not hear before.
While the bass did not impress me so much I also feel a bit relieved as they might work nicely with being placed close to the wall.

Basically what I need to do now is to either audition more speakers or select some for home audition. Currently I have Emit 50 as my budget choice and Sonetto V as the more premium option.
Any input is deeply appreciated :)

Regards
Sebastian
 

FeddyLost

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The Lyngdorf has a much better separation of the sound which highlights that the bass is quite boomy. RoomPerfect helps but doesn't eliminate the problem.
Is relocation of speakers possible?
Have you tried to plug reflex ports with some foam?

Personally I prefer to stay with equipment unless it have proven faults.
Your speakers have too much bass due to wall gain but otherwise I'd call them nice for your room and personally I'd try to solve it with EQ somehow.
Emit 50 have much lower sensitivity with same -3 Db frequency, so IMO main difference will be more strain to amplifier with same bass issues.
Anyway, I'd try to manage moneyback for any new speakers that you'll buy for direct comparison in your system.
 
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Aslund

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Is relocation of speakers possible?
Have you tried to plug reflex ports with some foam?

Personally I prefer to stay with equipment unless it have proven faults.
Your speakers have too much bass due to wall gain but otherwise I'd call them nice for your room and personally I'd try to solve it with EQ somehow.
Emit 50 have much lower sensitivity with same -3 Db frequency, so IMO main difference will be more strain to amplifier with same bass issues.
Anyway, I'd try to manage moneyback for any new speakers that you'll buy for direct comparison in your system.

I have added some more picture to my lensdrop folder to better illustrate the living room and where the speakers are.
I don't really have an alternative place to put the speakers. I might pull them more forward, but given how my house is designed it is going to look a bit ridiculous if I pull them 1 meter from the wall.
I tried to put some socks in the bass port and it helped on the booming sound, but then it missed some depth.

An alternative I actually has been considering is buying a pair for Arendal 1961 Monitors, which I can hang on the wall next to the TV and add an Arendal 1961 1S sub in the corner. I am just a bit hesitant as I am used to floorstanding speakers for 15 years and I wonder how musical or how good they are for music. They are always being promoted and reviewed by movie geeks. For me I am weighing TV side like 20% and music 80% .
https://arendalsound.com/product/1961-monitor/
https://arendalsound.com/product/1961-subwoofer-1s/
 

FeddyLost

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I don't really have an alternative place to put the speakers. I might pull them more forward, but given how my house is designed it is going to look a bit ridiculous if I pull them 1 meter from the wall.
I tried to put some socks in the bass port and it helped on the booming sound, but then it missed some depth.
For sure full plugging of ports will remove all bass around port tuning frequency. So it's barely good solution if your booming sound is higher than useful bass responce of speakers.
I hope you have PC at home. IMO best solution would be to slow down a little, download REW, find out source of annoying frequency and try to tweak speakers and listener placement before any further investments. Maybe some small movement will be enough.
Adding a measurement mic would be nice, but not mandatory - usually modal problems can be identified only with tone generator and room simulation.
By the way, i don't understand where is your listener place on pictures and plan - sofa, chair, pillows or any of these?
 

Doodski

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Another problem is placement, my current speakers are positioned quite close to the wall, which might also explain the boomy bass that I experience, so I need something that is more insensitive to placement.
That left side speaker in the corner is a big contributor to the boominess. The right speaker has a very different corner or lack of corner so that will sound, "off" too. Then they are both pointing down the long distance of the room. The better place is to put them on the long wall pointing towards the glass.
 
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Aslund

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For sure full plugging of ports will remove all bass around port tuning frequency. So it's barely good solution if your booming sound is higher than useful bass responce of speakers.
I hope you have PC at home. IMO best solution would be to slow down a little, download REW, find out source of annoying frequency and try to tweak speakers and listener placement before any further investments. Maybe some small movement will be enough.
Adding a measurement mic would be nice, but not mandatory - usually modal problems can be identified only with tone generator and room simulation.
By the way, i don't understand where is your listener place on pictures and plan - sofa, chair, pillows or any of these?

Our sofa is actualy at the back of the room, it is not part of the picture. But I have a tendency to move a bit around when I listen.

That left side speaker in the corner is a big contributor to the boominess. The right speaker has a very different corner or lack of corner so that will sound, "off" too. Then they are both pointing down the long distance of the room. The better place is to put them on the long wall pointing towards the glass.

It could be an idea, but the movement of the TV etc. would be a big hassel. I know no knowledge of proper setup of my speakers, but I chose the short wall so the rest of the room could benefit the most from the sound.

I actually tried today to give wall-mounted speakers a try at the local hifi shop, HiFiKlubben.
First I listened to a Dali combo:
https://www.hifiklubben.dk/dali-rubicon-lcr-vaeghoejtaler/dalirubiconlcrro
https://www.hifiklubben.dk/dali-sub-m-10-d-subwoofer/dalisubm10dhgwh

It is not the first time I have listened to Dali. I have auditioned floor-standing speakers from Dali earlier and I currently own Dali 850, which I had for 15 years. To my surprise, as I audition speakers, I learn that I actually do not like the Dali sound. It is hard to describe by words, but I feel it is narrow and tight.
I tried a Lyngdorf combo instead:
https://www.hifiklubben.dk/lyngdorf-mh-2-vaeghoejtaler/lyngmh2hgbk
https://www.hifiklubben.dk/lyngdorf-bw-2-subwoofer/lyngbw2hgbk

The sound was much more open and I felt a better soundstage. It is amazing given how small the speaker is. Even though I enjoyed the Lyngdorf combo much better than the Dali combo, I must say I was sitting and missing listening to Sonetto V. I must say I have been bewitched about their sound.
I could try to give the small Sonus Faber bookshelves a try, but my problem is how to mount them. I don't like a stand as I have small children. So how to mount them on the wall?
 

FeddyLost

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Our sofa is actualy at the back of the room, it is not part of the picture. But I have a tendency to move a bit around when I listen
Try to move your main sofa slightly forward.
Your speakers and listening position are located close to opposite walls, so you have increased all axial modes and first tangential.
In case of speakers, designed for free standing it will result in boomy bass below ( typically) 150 Hz.

could try to give the small Sonus Faber bookshelves a try, but my problem is how to mount them. I don't like a stand as I have small children. So how to mount them on the wall?
You can check out SF Sonetto on-wall with Gravis sub(s) and Lyngdorf room perfect. Maybe this set will be good substitute for Sonetto V.
https://www.sonusfaber.com/en/products/sonetto-wall/
They have to maintain typical Sonetto line sound and made for on-wall placement. Technically they are not far off from Lyngdorf MH2 so Lyngdorf integrated must work well with them. Just don't expect huge undistorted SPL.
 

Moonhead

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Aslund
Har du overvejet nogle aktive højtaler, det er en mere simpelt løsning, tvivler på du vil blive skuffet med henblik på lydkvalitet!
 

Digi

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Anybody here care to comment of their SF Sonetto V speakers? How do they sound? Are they worth the price? Thanks.
 

Robert C

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The ports firing to the wall, behind the speaker, will create boominess as already mentioned. Consider a sealed box design, or speakers with front firing ports. Harbeth is an example.

Regarding placement, I've found this website incredibly useful when positioning speakers: http://noaudiophile.com/speakercalc/

Rule of thirds works best for me.
 
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