The picture was taken from an open plan staircase at the back of the room.
My listening chair is out of shot, beneath the camera.
Without going down a rabbit hole, I’d agree that the speakers are too big for the room. I’d look to a pair of 2-way floor standers. I think you would also be better losing some furniture and then playing across the short side of the room, by moving the TV and speakers to the wall facing the alcove, with the sofa in the alcove becoming the listening position.
Edit: confused now as you have two photos with different speakers. The smaller ones look okay, but I would move them to playing across the room with less furniture, otherwise you are just chasing a solution, when the layout isn’t going to be optimal.
I too think so, for what it’s worth…
Perhaps if just the big furniture on the left wasn’t there, would it be possible to place two quality stand-mounts on the two small sideboards at the fireplace’s sides?
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It would be good to have a plan view of the room (to scale), with the furniture drawn in, including listening seat, and staircase/ doorways.
Meanwhile based purely on the so far visible room, I’d re-think the storage. If it all does have to be in that room I’d dump the low cupboards in the alcoves and the tall metal framed thing, and find or build tall cupboards to go in the alcoves to take everything. Then 2 options to try:
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If possible move whatever is on the right foreground below the camera in pic 2, pull the window sofa towards the camera, and put the speakers in front of the alcove storage units, pulled forward just enough to allow access.
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put speakers at either end of the left sofa and listen from window side (or opposite sides if window sofa can move and speakers fit either side of window sofa),
Try all ways with the existing speakers, and from that decide if a speaker change/upgrade is needed.
Decent size floorstanders perfectly fine in a room that size, but slim style ones may fit best given the bulky furniture.
Other alternatives include putting the speakers in the alcoves, preferably still getting rid of the metal frame unit, either building storage above and/or around the speakers or, more “left field”, putting the speakers above the storage on very solid shelves. If speakers are suited to close-to-wall or soffit use, this approach could work. Could be tried initially on top of existing cupboards for initial impression before modifying. (More thoughts possible on this if considered but otherwise not worth going into.)
As for new speakers to consider if changing, my personal preference is transmission line so if auditioning I’d suggest PMC, being the main producer, with a good range of models/prices and good availability secondhand/ex-dem.
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In my old house I had to put standmounts on top of alcove cupboards either side of a chimney breast. It’s a compromise but no more than you are already having to make so I would seriously consider this option. It solves the problem of where to put the speakers without having to move any furniture and it declutters the floor. I tested a lot of speakers before finding the ones that worked best. The key was to pull them forward so their fronts were in front of the chimney breast, then to put them on some kind of mini stand or (in my case) isopucks, which made a big difference. I ended up with Sonus Faber Sonetto 2s but I had a lot of hard surfaces so their warmer tone compensated for that. You have a lot of soft furnishing already so, of the ones I tried, I reckon ATC SCM11s or Amphion Argon 3a be great. However, home demo is absolutely essential!
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Unfortunately I cant change the furniture.
She that must be obeyed has just paid a small fortune for the cabinets in the alcoves and the large unit on the left.
I cant alter the configuration of the room as the tv is wired in behind the brickwork and both the tv and the fireplace are the focal point of the room.
Even if I were to move the tv and speakers to the wall on the left of the picture and change the focal point, there is a radiator on the wall that would be awkward, and it would feel odd sitting adjacent to the fire rather than in front of it!
Im going to a dealer tomorrow and amongst others will hopefully listen to some PMC Twenty5 22s.
Ill also be listening to some Dali Epicon 2, Harbeth P3ESR and some Neat Motive SX1 and SX2
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If you have such a compromised listening experience have you thought about investing in a headphone oriented system? Just a thought. You get a lot of quality output from a relatively modest budget on a headphone system. To beat that you need mega bucks from a speaker system and an ideal listening environment.
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Can you not move the speakers to a long side and leave TV where it is, then when TV is in use focus is as now, when listening to music sit differently and nothing wrong with fire to the side. If you need speakers for TV then get smaller ones in addition, to sit on top of alcove cabinets.
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There is no problem sitting adjacent to the fire, the people who sit on the couches have to do this ? Repositioning the TV/speakers to the left hand wall would also allow you to get your TV at a reasonable height for viewing, currently it’s far too high, the fireplace would also look better. Moving a radiator isn’t going to cost much.
However if none of this is possible or desirable a headphone system seems your best bet. I think changing your speakers may give only marginal improvement.
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Thank you, but my original point was that I cant change the room.
The layout is what it is.
I have the furniture I have.
These things cant be changed.
I certainly cant move radiators, even if i could get a change of layout past my partner!
I was looking for suggestions within my existing parameters.
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Thanks, I’ll be listening to some Harbeth P3s tomorrow, and hopefully a good few Neat speakers.
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The tv is absolutely fine where it is, I wouldnt have put it there if there was a problem.
I think the photo doesnt give any perspective because my central armchair, from which i watch tv and listen to music isnt visible in the picture.
Moving the radiator is not logistically possible.
It’s the left hand wall or nothing.
If my better half forced such rigid and musically limiting constraints on we there’d be a serious discussion about it, after all my hobby pre-existed and that has always been a consideration with homes. However, if genuinely there is no room whatsoever for any movement, you’ll just have to try various speakers where the existing ones sit (or are you allowed to use the space above those alcove units?)
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Yes, I was after recommendations for speakers to go roughly where my current ones are.
I think my broad concern is that accoustically the MA Gold 300 are more suited to a larger space.
Yes, I can use the space above the alcove units, and take the shelves out if need be.
I should add that I am a watch collector, which she saw as an unobtrusive, if expensive hobby.
Now I’ve found any equally expensive, but more obtrusive hobby, I’m walking a fine line!
The answer is now obvious: you need to build your own speakers, or house commercial ones, in grandfather/longcase clock cases!
One thing not suggested so far is perhaps research on-wall speakers (PMC and ATC among others do them) for in the alcoves. Whilst you could try any speakers to see what they sound like, the majority of speakers don’t usually give their best right against the wall. Otherwise, it seems, just variations on a theme where present speakers sit. But though cluttered with furniture the room is not so small as to not be capable of taking decent size floorstanders.
I wish you luck with education in the long term.
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Will be interesting to hear about the results of your listening session at the dealer, particularly the Dali Epicon 2. I am going to convert a 16 m2 (4m x 4m) room into a dedicated listening room and am thinking about buying the Dalis. My current listening room is a slightly smaller three quarters glass/one quarter concrete walled room (the acoustics are horrendous!) driving an SN3 into Proac Response D20R. To me, the Proacs seem to be a little bit too large for the room and a non-floorstander will give me more controlled bass (hope I’m correct!).
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I wonder if dipoles would work? Magnepan or ML can come pretty narrow and they don’t mind side walls as much as box speakers. One for a home demo though.
Agree with @frenchrooster
Consider using wall mounted speakers in the alcove spaces, which will free up floor space and look less cluttered.
Something like this, which is also available in White.
DG…
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If actually square that room will have greater problems than the OP’s.room shape.