Amp & Speakers for a Small Room

[AOD]

Hi, will be moving to a new house where I might be lucky enough to have a music room. Size will be 3m (W) x 4m(L). 

 

I listen to a lot music with slam as well as gentler Celtic orientated voices. Slayer, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest . and, ...Mary Black, Loreena McKennitt, Janis Ian etc

 

Please share your experience/suggestions  for an  Int Amp (with phono) / Speaker combination(s) that give slam and vocal clarity.

Budget SG10k for amp and speakers (excl cables etc) 

 

Thanks

Edited December 18, 2020 by AOD

[ggg557]

What is your budget for speakers, amp, source etc..?

[AOD]

Int Amp and Speakers SG10k. Just the amp and speakers, not incl cables etc. 

[Guest CASH]

get a Harbeth Shl5 speaker and a DA&T A38 (Taiwanese) integrated amp... should be less than SGD$10k for this selection.

[Kraken580]

If you can get a home audition at least for the speakers. 

[AOD]

Thank you both Cash and Kraken580

[wechnivag]

For small rooms, the acoustics are even more critical. It is practically impossible to get good sound without managing the acoustics in a small room.

Recommend to include some budget for acoustic treatment. 

 

Cheers! 

[luvmusic77]

On 12/18/2020 at 10:59 AM, AOD said:

Hi, will be moving to a new house where I might be lucky enough to have a music room. Size will be 3m (W) x 4m(L). 

 

I listen to a lot music with slam as well as gentler Celtic orientated voices. Slayer, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest . and, ...Mary Black, Loreena McKennitt, Janis Ian etc

 

Please share your experience/suggestions  for an  Int Amp (with phono) / Speaker combination(s) that give slam and vocal clarity.

Budget SG10k for amp and speakers (excl cables etc) 

 

Thanks

 

I have similar listening taste as you but of lately, I have started to listen to more Jazz and Fusion stuffs.

For the genre of music you are listening, i would recommend Naim. Especially such music, alot have to do with the groove, bass slam and need fast transient response. Especially their older Models i.e. Olive, chrome bumper series are well known to be a rock machine yet musical. Their newer models are more balanced and crater for a wider audience.

 

I have since moved out of a Naim system but i still fondly remember those in your face, foot tapping experience having a full Naim system. A pity i couldn't keep too many system.

[ajitmoses]

You can consider a Naim Atom and a Klipsch Heresy. 

[AOD]

Sadly, the agent will only bring in the Heresy if you order it, without testing. They don't do demos. 

[AOD]

Thinking of selling my ATC SCM40 as my room is too small. BOUGHT THEM NEW and had them for  less than a year.

[Chowbotak]

Great to know hifi buffs who listen to metal! I previously used the SHL5s with an old YBA integrated and they rocked. Naims would be good too if not better. For SHL5s, get 18in stands and place them along long side of wall. I had bass issues when I used shorter stands and when placed along short wall. My room was smaller than yours though

[Andrewinukm]

On 12/25/2020 at 10:57 PM, AOD said:

Thinking of selling my ATC SCM40 as my room is too small. BOUGHT THEM NEW and had them for  less than a year.

If you like the sound of SCM40 and considering that you have a dedicated room...

then I suggest to use that budget for room treatment.

 

3x4 m room will likely have room modes in 45-60 Hz, causing boominess. A few thousand bucks in room treatment will make most speakers amazing.

 

Bass traps. Thick carpet. Focus more on absorption first. Add diffusion to taste depending on individual preference.

[AOD]

Good advise. Thank you. 

[malsound]

dynaudio special 40 + musical fidelity m6si

[e24djenggos]

I on similar room size. Am using dyn audio special 40 and naim supernait 2. If i have a chance to change my speaker, id look for speaker with no back port. I did a mistake on mine. For this room size we tend to have our speaker close to the wall.

[kinger]

Can put port foam, bung, sock?

Edited December 30, 2020 by kinger

[DHT Triode]

On 12/29/2020 at 12:44 PM, Andrewinukm said:

If you like the sound of SCM40 and considering that you have a dedicated room...

then I suggest to use that budget for room treatment.

 

3x4 m room will likely have room modes in 45-60 Hz, causing boominess. A few thousand bucks in room treatment will make most speakers amazing.

 

Bass traps. Thick carpet. Focus more on absorption first. Add diffusion to taste depending on individual preference.

Very sound advice.  I agree that trying the existing speakers and amp in the new room and see how they go is the first step (noting that room treatment will be required to get that room to work with ANY speaker).  Positioning will be a very important factor as well IMHO.

 

[jimi1624705950]

If a smallish room and small budget and looking for slam with metal and rock, maybe consider some quality active (amp inside) bookshelves. I realise BS are not as sexy as floorstanders but smaller room acoustics help with the bass where FS might overwhelm the room (like they did in my room haha). The money saved on the smaller form factor goes into better drivers, cabinet, etc for the same price point.

 

Active speakers have the amps built in. Again not as sexy in the traditional hifi sense but there's less loss of sound quality on separate  interconnects and outside interference and the slam from actives really has to be heard to be appreciated as the amps are perfectly matched to the speakers.

 

Spend the money saved on a better source and tasteful room treatment and most importantly a better power supply (dedicated line from the electric box, US sockets, balanced power conditioner, voltage box, better power cables).