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Different Audition Room Conditions

Joined
Sep 20, 2021
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Seattle, WA
TL;DR - what would you listen for in a dead room/anechoic if broad soundstage is your goal? What type of reference tracks would you use to hear it? (mine below)

I am currently auditioning speakers. The first store I went to, Hawthorne here in Seattle, set me up in a listening room which was almost anechoic conditions...well not quite (I've heard an actual anechoic before). The room had a thick carpet behind the speakers, a carpeted floor, a thick carpet on the floor, and several wall treatments. It was dead in there.

As a result, I didn't really hear "sound stage" that I wanted. I could hear the range of the speakers and if there were dips anywhere. But a live wide immersive sound was just not in that room. I didn't love any of the following:
- Rega Jura Floorstanding - did not like these at all
- Larsen 4.2
- Epos Epic 5 Floorstanding
- Vienna Bachs - I liked these the best, but didn't love them.

I was super surprised at what I heard in the Larsen, as they were just thin. But holy cow, the low end. But the room did them no favors. I really really want to like these, but I want what I've heard about them...non-fussy placement, great up and down the range, and a big soundstage.

My budget is max $1500, am I being too critical?

Reference tracks:
- Beethoven 5 Kleiber Vienna
- Happier Than Ever Eilish
- Verdi Requiem Tuba Mirum Abbado and Berlin
- Peter Grimes w/ John Vickers - Sunday Morning and "In dreams I've built myself a kindlier home"
Backups
- Bohemian Rhapsody
- So What from Kind of Blue
 

dshreter

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I’ve been in that room and it’s REALLY far from anechoic. The presentation might be different than what you’re used to - more near field and the back wall is close to the listening position so the room would sound bad if it was very live.

Not sure what speakers you should get though.
 
OP
duppy_conqueror
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Sep 20, 2021
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Location
Seattle, WA
That sounds like a good way to not sell many speakers. :( Bleh.
I think dshreter said it above...they have limited space. It is a great little audio shop with a very helpful staff. The guy showing speakers was great.

I just have no idea how any of those would 1) sound in my living room and 2) come close to what I think is ideal.
 

Blumlein 88

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Best auditioning room I've run across has a large symmetrical room. You could setup two systems at opposite ends with any speakers you wished. You could listen to one set of speakers and swivel the chair around 180 degrees and listen to a comparison speaker. Stereo and both positioned to favor each speaker as needed, but a pretty good swift way to compare. Was at a MacIntosh dealer in Nashville in the 1980's.
 
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