Is this an upgrade or lateral move for speakers?

Wow that’s a challenging location!!!

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Yep!

Even more reason not to spend loads on any speakers without a home demo.

What’s wrong with either side of the fireplace?

Or window.

Congratulations on the baby, by tge way!

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Thank you! For placement we definitely prefer a minimalist look rather than having visible wires running. The fireplace doesn’t allow for wires to be run behind it without major wall work. Also, the amp or other speaker wouldn’t fit where the window is, so the choices are few.

Sorry, I couldn’t understand why it wouldn’t work. Personally if sound quality is top priority, I would work on the placement. If the speaker cables aren’t long enough you can purchase longer ones. If visible wires are unsightly you can run them on the floor or along the window sill with white coloured cables.

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The Dali Epicon 2 used to be one of the speakers in my shortlist earlier this year alongside ATC SCM19 and Marten Duke 2. In the end I settled with the latter. Bargains are nice and tempting, that I agree. :smile: I own the Dali Mentor Menuet and the Dali sound is actually rather nice. Illuminating treble and a rather colourful sounding speaker. I don’t have experience with the particular SF model that you have although i owned the older Grand Piano Concerto many years ago.

Sometimes if sound quality is important some things have to compromise… Judicious choice of wires, routing or covering, can make them unobtrusive or even invisible, similarly furniture arrangement etc. I suspect that whatever speakers are used that positioning will always be less than the best: aside from differences in side reflections which many people have to suffer, with yours assuming the photo is taken from your listening position the path length from right speaker is longer than from left, meaning slightly delayed sound as well as quieter (latter fixable if you have a balance control). But of course your choice.

Did you find the Epicon 2 had a wide dispersion? They claim you can just point them straight ahead and not have to worry about toe-in, etc.

Our window overlooks water and as such we don’t want to obstruct the view.

My window overlooks water too but that’s because I live in Manchester!
:cloud_with_rain:

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Can the speakers not go one each side of the window? That’s where mine sit Much of the time, my window looking out on the garden and fields beyond. For critical listening I move them closer together and slightly forward, so in front of the window but towards the sides.

You’ll never get a room filling sound with your speakers stuffed in the corner. No speaker, not even the Dalis, can overcome the laws of physics, no matter what your dealer, who doubtless is giving a discount to shift something he can’t get rid of at full price, has to say.

The speakers need to be a couple of metres apart, away from side walls and out from the back wall a bit, to avoid boomy bass. Try some different positions, even if it means putting the Nova on the floor or a chair between them for a while. With things as they are you’ve no idea how good it could sound. Most of us want the system to fit with the room and look nice but if you throw up every obstacle about looking minimalist and not obscuring the view you are hampering your chances of great sound from the word go.

Your speakers are small and extremely attractive so it should be easy to find a compromise that works for all and still gives great sound. It’s easy to get white speaker cables that blend in with skirtings, etc.

The limitations of that room and placement mean a few things
!. No speaker is going to be at it’s best
2. Whatever speaker you do use is going to be greatly affected by that placement - this makes some sort of home demo ,even more critical - You do know how your current speaker sounds. In this situation a direct comparison of two speakers is almost useless, unless compared in that room/situation.
3. Most of us have to make trade-offs .Personally, I think you are sacrificing too much sq and don’t think a speaker change can or will make enough of an improvement. But I also think that it is even more critical to have a home demo. Or at the very least a very good dealer/audio specialist to advise , already aware of your space limitation.
No matter what you do - good luck

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Thanks for the replies all! I appreciate your time.

you might want to look at investing in a good USB mic, REW, and Roon or similar for some DSP to overcome of the placement issues - am not a fan of DSP for the sake of it, but it can help in certain circumstances and this is probably one of them…

Audionote speakers can accommodate easily corners

Yes I had my eye on a pair of used AZ-2 at a very decent price; I’m pretty sure they aren’t the same sound quality as the Sonus Fabers or Dali’s though. Possibly have them in the corners and keep the SF’s a little out from those spots?

I heard twice Audionote and liked them. Very natural, colorful. They need little power, so a SN should be fine. But not the best speakers for rock. Depends on your musical tastes.

Taking a lighter note to the debate, how about two pairs of headphones and suitable dual output headphone amp. Great SQ, no positioning problems and no loud music to keep your new baby boy awake at night! :wink: