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Conference hips::uk_audioo

Title:You get surface noise in real life too
Notice:Let's be conformist
Moderator:GOVT02::BARKER
Created:Thu Jul 28 1988
Last Modified:Mon Jun 02 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:550
Total number of notes:3847

401.0. "New Speakers - Where do I start?" by BAHTAT::HILTON (Beer...now there's a temporary solution) Wed Feb 24 1993 14:49

( posted in audio and uk_audio)

Help!

I've got an old pair of Pioneer speakers I picked up cheap a couple of years
ago, and I've decided to splash out on some 'real' speakers.

I've got no idea where to start looking, what to look for, how to spot the good
from the bad etc. This is what I think I want:

I don't want the new speakers to dominate the room, ideally I want them to be
as unobtrusive as possible.

I mostly listen to CD's, occasionally LP's.

I have a surround processor hooked in for watching movies through a stereo
video. I reckon I spend more time watching movies etc than listening to music.

I mostly listen to rock/pop stuff, very little classical.

I also can't decide where to place the speakers, can speakers go behind
curtains?

This is the layout of my room, it's 17 foot by 10 foot,
         ____________
         |Patio Doors|
|--------|           |------|
|                     TV    |
|  2 sea                    |
|    ter                    |
|                           |
|  sofa                     |
|                           |
|                           |
|                           |
|                           |
|                           |
|                           |
|                           |              ss=surround speaker
|                           |
|                           |
|       3 seater sofa       |
|                           |
| ss                    ss  |
|---------------------------|

So I guess I have 3 questions:

What speakers should I buy?

Where should I put them?

Will I be able to notice a difference between any new speakers and my old ones?

I had thought about using a sub-woofer/satellite system but dealers I've spoken
to don't rate them that much.

I've a budget of 200 UK pounds.

Many thanks,

Greg




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401.1ROTHKO::AUSTINWed Feb 24 1993 17:2414
Greg,

If you want a speaker that is unobtrusive, you might
care to look at the SEQUENCE 30 speaker, which is a 
conventional speaker but in a very thin cabinet which 
is designed to hang on a wall or be used with its own 
stand.

It retails at about the �200 mark.

I'll have a look tonight for an address/phone number.

Simon
401.2Tally-Ho! The Pioneers They Do A-Go!AKOCOA::HADNEYWed Feb 24 1993 22:1921
    Greg,
    
    I can't wait to see your note when you have to buy a house.
    
    Of course speakers can go behind curtains.  They can go anywhere.  You
    may not like the sound, but what does that have to do with it?  The
    object is to keep your wife off your back and enjoy a good beer.
    
    Start with the old Pioneers - take 200 British Pounds of feathers or
    lead (don't forget your laws of physics) and drop them on the Pioneers. 
    Then take 1 British Pound, buy a good British Audio Equipment Review
    Magazine, and buy the highest rated speaker you CAN'T afford.  If you
    buy a speaker you CAN afford today, chances are excellent that next
    year at this time you'll be looking for new speakers.
    
    With that 2-step process you'll be happier than a pig in ____ for the
    remainder of your music-listening days.
    
    May I suggest Camber Speakers?
    
    Bill
401.3That Node RATHKO looks familiar, Kemo Sabe.AKOCOA::HADNEYWed Feb 24 1993 22:2716
    Re. .1
    
    Is that note from Simon Austin, the very same Simon Austin who
    hand-delivered Tavener's "The Protecting Veil" (Virgin Classics) CD to
    me in person right in front of the Crate And Barrel in Harvard Square
    just after Thanksgiving last year?  
    
    Would you believe I still have not picked up the Telded/Harnoncourt/COE
    Beethoven 6th from your pal James?  Hopefully, one day ...
    
    My reply in .2 was just a bit of fun with the base-noter.  Hope he has
    a good sense of humor.
    
    Cheers!
    
    Bill
401.4KRAKAR::WARWICKCan't you just... ?Wed Feb 24 1993 23:2519
    
    Whatever you buy, you won't get the full effect with the room set up
    the way you have it. Is it worth spending 200 quid otherwise ? To get
    the bext effect, the  configuration usually needs to look like this,
    fitted into your room somehow:
    
    wall
    ---------
    |
    | S
    |
    |          Listener
    |            
    |
    | S
    | 
    |--------
    
    Trevor
401.5BAHTAT::HILTONBeer...now there's a temporary solutionThu Feb 25 1993 09:0827
    Yeh I have got a sense of humour :^)
    
    Another dealer I spoke to said that a subwoofer satellite system may
    solve all my problems, the What Hi_Fi mag, says the JPW system gives a
    warm pleasing sound, so I'm gonna try and listen to them somewhere,
    hopefully find a dealer who will allow me to return them if they sounc
    cr*p when I get them home!
    
    
    Because the satellites are so small I reckon I can do the
    
    
    
    |
    | s
    |
    |
    |                    listener
    |
    |
    |
    | s
    
    
    So I'll try and get to see them soon!
    
    Greg
401.6Size CountsLARVAE::LINCOLN_JThu Feb 25 1993 17:5912
	I have a sub-base speaker for use with my system at home, and 
	found that whilst it functioned fine the amount of base was just
	too much in the small 1400 cu ft room. So I disconnected it.

	I have also heard a system with sub-base speaker operating in a
	10,900 cu-ft room� and it was superb. Its not just a question
	of the quality of the equipment its where you can put it.

	-John

	� This is not a misprint and yes you could get a reasonably 
	sized detached house into this one room.
401.7More sound than sightLARVAE::TAYLOR_PFri Feb 26 1993 13:3522
    Greg,
    
    	I am currently trying a pair of SEQUENCE 30s. Priority for me this
    time is unobtrusiveness. I require them in a second room and preferably
    portable, so I can decide which room is the second room !  These have a
    bracket which can be fix to the wall and the speakers hung from it, or
    turned around to act as a foot, so the speakers become floor standing.
    Optimum position is against a wall and they are only 2.7inches thick,
    by 10 wide and 33 high.
    
    	As I am used to Linn amplification and KEF 104.2 speakers in the
    lounge (4 figure sums if new now) I needed a good sound too or I'd
    never use them. I reckon they do a pretty good job all things
    considered. List is �200, but I've persuaded a local stockist to discount a
    little for cash.
    
    	The important thing is you listen and find something you like
    yourself. I recommend you give these a try amongst others.
    
    Regards,
    
    Phil.
401.8BAHTAT::HILTONBeer...now there's a temporary solutionSun Feb 28 1993 20:3812
    Cheers Phil,
    
    Went for a listen on Saturday, wife hated the look of them, so the
    Sequence's are out.
    
    Listend to the Linn Index II's - great sound, sounded even better on
    the Linn Ku Stone stands, which kind off pushes the total price to
    �370, anyone know where I can get some 2nd hand Linn Stone stands?
    
    
    :^)
    Greg
401.9Me, I'm waiting for the next version of Windows to solve mine!TASTY::JEFFERYThe car behind is an ATOYOTMon Mar 01 1993 22:373
Interested to know if this JPW subwoofer setup solves ALL of your problems!

Mark.
401.10BAHTAT::HILTONBeer...now there's a temporary solutionTue Mar 02 1993 09:1515
    Mark,
    
    I've kind of not got the subwoofer system, I bought some Mission 760i's
    on Monday after borrowing them.
    
    Nearly all the 'good' hi-fi shops said subwoofers don't work that well,
    as bass is directional and you will hear where the bass is coming from.
    
    Now off to RIcher sounds to buy some JPW Minims for 59.95 as rear
    surround speakers 
    
    :^)
    
    
    Greg
401.11agreeTASTY::JEFFERYThe car behind is an ATOYOTTue Mar 02 1993 10:238
Hi Greg,

I agree about the subwoofer thing. I had a look at some Monitor Audio Speakers
at a Hi Fi show. They were also connected to a sub-woofer. There was a lot more
bass with the sub-woofer on, but it was terribly wooly. With the sub woofer
turned off, the quality of the bass was better.

Mark.
401.12Say, What?AKOCOA::HADNEYWed Mar 03 1993 22:0719
    Re. .10
    
    My understanding of bass sonics is quite the opposite of yours: lower
    frequencies are LESS directional, seeming not to come from a point
    source, and permitting, therefore, woofers of any type to be located,
    within limits of course, wherever you find most pleasing.  Bass oozes 
    out of speakers almost omnidirectionally, but tends to collect in the 
    corners of rooms - try sitting in the corner to hear it.  You may be 
    surprised.  Room 'Tunes were designed to alleviate this and other such
    problems.
    
    On the other hand, placement of satellite speakers in relation to seating
    position is critical, since higher frequencies tend to "beam" from
    their drivers.
    
    Whatever.  After a while this stuff becomes just so much baloney
    relative to the music, wouldn't you say?  
    
    Bill