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Small Floor Standers

I'm looking to create a short list of speakers for music only. The room is 15x28 with 9' ceilings and hard surfaces, except a few padded chairs and light fabric window covers. The main listening area is 15x18 and the rest of the room is my kitchen which opens up to it.

Musically, I listen to rock, jazz, and a variety classical but no hip hop or electronic to speak of. The ideal speaker will provide smooth tonal response, good dynamics and importantly freedom from stridency which the live room will only accentuate. High SPL's and subterranean bass are not required but I don't want something that gets lost in the space. The speakers must be compact - 35" or so tall and not more than 8-12" wide and deep. I prefer floor standing designs because of the room volume and as protection against a 6 year old. My budget is around $1k used, maybe a bit higher for the right choice.

A few of my early thoughts are the smaller Spendors and Quad L series as well as Totems and Dynaudio.

The source will be a Squeezebox playing lossless digital and the amp is TBA, but will be matched to the speakers which I think should be picked first.

Any and all comments are welcome. Thanks in advance.
wdrazek
nolitan
865 posts
 
the pmc GB1 is very good provided you use 100 watter per side.
petland
71 posts
 
Wdrazek,
I'd grab the original Kestrel HR in Mahogany that a dealer has NIB and has been advertising for some time here. I have them playing right now as I write in a room almost identical to yours with a kitchen facing in. they are being driven by an RM9. they never cease to amaze me for the money. they fill the room with accurate tone and are just so listenable but still with plenty of deatil. A sub would only muck them up. You won't go wrong. If I had any room for them I would snap them up myself.
P
timrhu
2,778 posts
 
"just so listenable" is a perfect description Wdrazek. And they won't take up any more room than monitors on stands. I gave up on trying to get good, "listenable" sound from monitors when I purchased my Kestrel HRs. However, I think the price the referenced seller is asking is ridiculous. That's why they've been listed so long, maybe the second time.
veroman's avatar
veroman
291 posts
 
timrhu and petland speak truth. sub issue IMO depends on sub and settings... if waf is met with original kestral looks and they indeed do sound equal to K2's you should consider those. i bought nearly new K'2 for about same price so i too think price is high. UNLESS a monitor is firmly mounted to $$$ lead/sand filled stands they will topple easier than kestrals. 6 yr old will get 'safety' lecture in either event. placing MOST speakers close to wall will generally present warm sound anomoly. less so with front ported design as with kestral. what made you give up on floorstanders or have you? $1K monitors with flat low bass in big space, sounds great to me!;)
wdrazek OP
100 posts
 
Haven't given up on floor standers and I agree that small boxes on stands are more likely to get knocked over. It's all about WAF. OTOH, once she sees the Target stands I will want for mini's she might change her mind. She rules the living room which is OK since the den (and kitchen) are 100% mine.

The #1 spouse choice is a pair of 4" round Gallo's but that won't cut it.
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