I am thinking of setting a system up in a spare room as it isn’t used that much. I’ve just measured it at 9ft x 8ft 3ins, so 2.7mtrs x 2.4mtrs. The main reason for using it for music is that it’s on the ground floor (living room is on the first floor) has a concrete floor, and in terms of neighbours the rooms next door are not used…often, which means I can potentially play music at a greater volume.
I do have headphones, but on the whole when I am truly listening to music I like to do it through speakers.
The room will require a small sofa and I’m thinking of getting an Atom with either small floorstanders or stand mounted bookshelf (no need to comment on the equipment)
So…the question/s, is this space just too small for proper listening? Where would be best for speaker/equipment placement (there is one door on the shorter wall, with space either side of it and a window on the longer wall, once again with space either side)
I have a setup in a small room and it sounds amazing. I would advice when you’re getting the speakers for your listening room is to really audition it in an environment similar to your room.
I have a similar sized room and have got it sounding OK using acoustics treatments by GIK (specifically some emphasised bass issues). Paul Rigby’s website gives some ideas for doing similar on the cheap. Sound staging will never be massive but no reason why a system shouldn’t sound good. Isoacoustics Gaia feet below the speakers also helped.
I have a second system (UnitiQute2/NAP100/Dynaudio X12 on stands) in a small space and I love listening to it. You can build a very nice system with an Atom I am confident - one that you’ll also enjoy listening to.
I would buy the Atom, and then do in-home audition of speakers to find what suits you. I got a lot of advice/recommendations about smallish speakers, and found striking differences among them. Several I really didn’t like at all, and then the Dynaudios were auditioned and they suit me very well. Small speakers are easy to bring home if you live close to a dealer; do that.
Absolutely, but don’t throw too much money on the system, both loudspeakers and amp. A modest system is capable of sounding excellent in the small space.
I don’t really enjoy listening to headphones and will turn to loudspeakers every time if given the choice.
