Speaker size question

[misteracng]

I'm trying to understand in general what might be a better setup. I have a room, 18ft length x14ft wide, about 12ft height but sitting position is about the middle. I would like to have a 2.1 setup. I'm trying to decide between a floorstander pair vs the same money invested in a higher grade bookshelf. Both setups would include a sub. For example, lets say I buy Revel speakers. You could get revel performa3 206 floorstander pair or spend a bit more for the performaBE126 pair, but its a bookshelf. Would having a higher end bookshelf change anyone's decision? Or does room size in this case really take priority. Lets assume the amp would be strong enough to drive the speakers to their max level if needed. Any opinions welcome.

Thanks

 

[ehabheikal]

One extra thought, you could go with bookshelves and 2 smaller subs with tighter smaller drivers will give better quality base and since this is not a home theater you do not need the rumble and you need more of the refinement.
With this you can set the high pass to a good amount to reduce the distortion of the bookshelves if the subs are flat to 200hz.

But specifically if i could go for performa3 208 you will not need subs, and that model is a dream speaker really, i see it at night.

ps I am not an expert. English is not my first language.

 

[misteracng]

208 is nice as well. I was thinking based on a set budget, then would people prefer to go with a higher grade bookshelf or a floorstander that is one step down based on similar price for the pair. This assumes we have the bass covered with one or more subs.

 

[ehabheikal]

You will need to look at the performance of each, there are a surprisingly largish amount of speaker measurements online, if the distortion of the lower end of the bookshelf can be covered by a better performing in bass sub then yes you will conquer all. But that will limit your selection to the measured models.

Higher end models will depend on manufacturer too, some do not go much better the higher up you go, some here in electronics actually get worse lol

 

[ehabheikal]

I perfer a tower that goes low enough not to need a sub for music.

 

[ehabheikal]

What i am saying is maybe you can upgrade all the way if you take the subs out and try to find a speaker that can go as low as maybe 30hz from the top of the lines.
Better imaging etc, and most probably will go lower in your room, with dsp you could rule.

 

[watchnerd]

I have a room about 50% bigger than yours.

I use two pretty dang high quality (and a bit pricey) "Stereophile Class A" monitors with 2 mid priced subwoofers and it gives the best overall sound I've had, with the mains high passed at 80 Hz.

Better than when I had equivalent money in two towers.

 

[FeddyLost]

Unfortunately, there's no simple answer.
I'd use the RoomSIM from REW in such case just to look at possible responce of different 2.1 systems and what distance between mains and LP is possible for your setup.
Usually there's some troubles when you want to get best FR and best scene/imagery in big speakers. Also, i'd not take big speakers if you are going to listen in smallish (1 m side or something like that) triangle setup.
Besides that, there's not much sane priced big 2.0 setups which could compete with a pair of 12" Rythmik subs, not to tell about pair of 2x12" subs.
I'd try to think about 2.2 with pair of light (GR research based) servo subs from Rythmik and relatively big standmounts (to get big midbass and imaging). If you can afford this, it might be best bang for buck setup unless you can get used system of big Revels+Ncore at 1/3 of retail.
Also, it heavily depends on your needs and tastes: will you need audiophiliac fat-and-wet system for jazz trio at 65 db or fast, dry and low distortion setup, rendering bass drum triplets in progressive death metal at 90+ db rms at LP ...
It's all up to you.