What speakers for a small room ?

Simon

By first reflection, do you mean the point along that wall where a mirror will reflect the drivers from the listening position?

Looking at the picture, do you think he'd benefit from having an absortive panel in line with the speaker on the left hand wall? (immeditate reflection?)

 

Hi yeah I mean the reflection point that can be found with a mirror. Angle of incidence = angle of reflection and all that.

 

I'm getting a tad confused at to where you're suggesting the panel goes?
So as i'm sitting down looking at the speakers, a panel on the left hand wall where?....immediately between the LHS speaker and the wall, or if I were to put a mirror on the LHS wall, the point at where i'd see the reflection of the LHS speaker?
Immediately to my left where my left hand would rest on the sofa arm is where the wood burning stove is, so not much can go there in the winter.

 

Yup, there.

Bass traps in each corner of the room facing you as you sit and listen. The more bass trapping the better.

 

Cool.
I'll start with some curtaining or a rug on the wall and see how we go!
Cheers.
I'lll have a look for some bass traps in the local DIY shop....

 

I used to have ATC 35 which are very similar. My room is almost twice as large and still I had some problems below 100Hz with a powerfull amplifier like ATC, Bryston or Chord. The manufacturer told me it sounds best in a 16-40 sq. m. room, which in my estimate is a bit too liberal. I might say ideally they need smth like 25-35 sq.m.
I am a bit surprused that you are using it with Primaluna. I am not sure they are able to control ATC woofers, their magnets are so heavy. I think now that in a smallish room these ATCs would need quite a powerfull SS amp, let's say 100+ watts which is able to firmly keep the bass at bay. With hindsight I think ASR Emitter would do the job nicely in my room, not sure about yours.
No, it's too tricky to have these speakers in such a small room.
I think Reference 3a or a small Sonus Faber is a good idea.
Room treatment might help in theory- but you will need to reduce your small room considerably to get a worthwhile effect. We are talking 40 cm. deep bass traps or some expensive things like Bekeshi etc. A rug on the wall may give you the opposite effect - it will damp highs and some upper mids if it thick enough, and subjectively there may be even be MORE bass. It will just sound overdamped and dull. A rug is absolutely transparent for low freqs.
Having said all that rooms are funny things - sometimes they work against all odds. Wall material, ceiling hight and material are impotant.

 

Nomoretweaks is correct a rug will help very little. For the side wall you need proper acoustic absorbent that is effective to at least 500Hz. This won't help bass a lot but I can see that close side wall will be making imaging and detail a lot worse.

For bass traps you can either get some that go across the room corner, and the large air gap created behind them helps them work to a low frequency, or you can get some, basically the ones my business makes, that go against the wall in the corner and work on a different principal, allowing them to be only ~6" deep. Have a look at my website at the Confidence bass trap. Two of these, stacked on top of each other in two of the room corners as described above will hep your bass significantly.

http://www.audiosmile.com/confidence.htm

RPG also make some bass traps that work on the pressure principal called the Modex. They are tuned to certain frequencies so you need to know where your problem lies. they might not look grea tin a domestic room either.

The DEQ2496 is also still an option if you are willing to have an extra box in your system.

 

I agree...the ATC's I think are wrong, the room and the amp combo are both working against them.
Where can I demo some 3A's in Bristol/Cardiff/Glos area.
I am going toi Bristol hifi show in Feb.
Not keen on the Totem Manis ?

 

Wouldn't it make more sense to change your amps for something that can drive a wide range of speakers? AFAIK Totem are pretty insensitive.

 

I've only just bought the amps, was always solid state, just sold an Alchemist Forseti Signature Pre/Power combo and bought the Dynavector pre/ Prima Luna powers.
Had a much bigger room which suited at ATCs, but have separated so am in a smaller place now.
Decided a smoother valve sound was what I wanted.
Have seen some used Ref 3A's that i'm going to audition.

 

Call me impetuous....i've just bought a pair of ex demo 3A Veena unseen and unheard !
Seemed like good value at £1150 , as they were were £3000 ish new.
Lets get those ATC's on eBay

 

Go on spill the beans where di you get them from. Thats an amazing price.

 

Well done!

good review here: http://www.reference3a.com/review_ron_nagle.htm

Looks like a far easier load for the Prima Lunas!

 

Here
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....6340&_trksid=p3907.m32&_trkparms=tab=Watching
KJ West One ex demo speakers. A couple of dinks in the case at the rear but other wise in perfect condition.