Lifestyle speakers that perform/measure well?

[k-pad]

Hi all,
As can be seen from other threads, when I started my search for a system with good attributes, I naturally started with floorstanders of impeccable capabilities.
As I slowly understood my room, I scaled down to BS, and as I understood my own aesthetic requirements (which for many would actually be called WAF), I went on-walls.
The on-walls I sampled were either atrocious sounding or terribly expensive.
The best I loved soundwise were the Dali Oberon and the Lyngdorf on-walls... way off budget for me.

I finally settled for the boxiest, and biggest woofered on-wall I could within my budget.

While I am happy, the experience did leave me with a question (outside of customs/GST cribs)
Why are speaker cos finding it difficult to make decent sounding speakers in smaller boxes?
Is it that difficult?

One of the outlier options I really considered was these:

CCM5-P point source coaxial 5 1/4" shallow wall or ceiling mount

On this page we show you detailed information about our CCM5-P point source coaxial shallow on wall or on ceiling surround Atmos speaker.

www.aia-cinema.com

The cost in India is so outlandish, that I gave up on them.

But, barring a handful of such stuff, it is not like people in other parts of the world are also getting a good spread when it comes to choosing speakers for a small room.

My questions are:
1. Is it really that difficult to make good sound in a small room, economically?
2. Does it not make financial sense to the companies themselves?
3. Wouldn't it make sense for them to go more lifestyle+performance in today's world, where most new buyers have smaller and smaller spaces?

Would love it if there are opinions on this, contrarian or otherwise.

Regards

 

[OM_2K19]

My questions are:
1. Is it really that difficult to make a good sound in a small room, economically?
- Not impossible but tricky; as long as one understands Acoustics basics, it's doable. 'Economically' is subjective, but you do need some $$$ to hit the sweet spot.

2. Does it not make financial sense to the companies themselves?
- As long as there is a market to cater to, it always makes financial sense to Companies to Invest and Invent future Products.

3. Wouldn't it make sense for them to go more lifestyle+performance in today's world, where most new buyers have smaller and smaller spaces?
- KEF is precisely doing that with their LS 50 (Wireless) line of offering. It looks beautiful and sounds superb, making it a perfect solution for a small/moderate space.

 

[k-pad]

My questions are:
1. Is it really that difficult to make a good sound in a small room, economically?
- Not impossible but tricky; as long as one understands Acoustics basics, it's doable. 'Economically' is subjective, but you do need some $$$ to hit the sweet spot.

2. Does it not make financial sense to the companies themselves?
- As long as there is a market to cater to, it always makes financial sense to Companies to Invest and Invent future Products.

3. Wouldn't it make sense for them to go more lifestyle+performance in today's world, where most new buyers have smaller and smaller spaces?
- KEF is precisely doing that with their LS 50 (Wireless) line of offering. It looks beautiful and sounds superb, making it a perfect solution for a small/moderate space.

Yes, chief.
I fully get 1.
2. Whatever it must be costing them to make somewhat similar sound from a shallower box just does not seem to be consummate with the price deferential. That has been my experience. Some say it is due to R&D, but despite their best engineering efforts, a performance gap does exist.
3. A few brands, yes. Like KEF, like Ascendo I mentioned above, from what I hear Totem, a couple of others and even the Monitor Audios I own...
but would be nice if there are more options. (not just in india, but overall)

I guess the market is at the cusp of a shift. But I could be wrong. Let's wait and see what the next few years bring.
Regards

 

[OM_2K19]

Some say it is due to R&D, but despite their best engineering efforts, a performance gap does exist.

A bookshelf speaker can't match the audio fidelity of a floor-standing speaker, period. It's pure physics. However, the gap is narrowing day by day. That said, to enjoy the floor-standing speakers its full potential, one needs a big room with actual heavy gears. With more people moving to the apartments and space constraints (I am one such individual), it's becoming impractical to own a floor-standing speaker. And this is opening new opportunities for Active Bookshelf Speaker that one can enjoy even in a tighter space. Products like LS 50 (/w) live up to that opportunity making it a go-to product. Market/Preference is shifting...

 

[Amateur_Audiophile]

what will be more preferable, a large room with lot of household stuff or a small room with almost no furniture?

 

[k-pad]

A bookshelf speaker can't match the audio fidelity of a floor-standing speaker, period. It's pure physics.

Agree, yes. But I see a lot of progress, but as I said, the cost is prohibitive.

However, the gap is narrowing day by day.

Some of the mid-sized boxes are matching the quality or -- and even bettering -- some bookshelves.

That said, to enjoy the floor-standing speakers its full potential, one needs a big room with actual heavy gears. With more people moving to the apartments and space constraints (I am one such individual), it's becoming impractical to own a floor-standing speaker. And this is opening new opportunities for Active Bookshelf Speaker that one can enjoy even in a tighter space. Products like LS 50 (/w) live up to that opportunity making it a go-to product. Market/Preference is shifting...

Yes, hopefully can see a decided shift/breakthrough in the next few years.
BTW, I understand the elegance and simplicity of actives for stereo. But are active HT set ups as popular?
Regards

 

[k-pad]

what will be more preferable, a large room with lot of household stuff or a small room with almost no furniture?

Both have compromises and trade-offs sir.
Will really depend on a trial in each room.

Having said that, from what I see,
1. the small room as you mention will require attention/minor budgetary allocation for room treatment to make it optimal.
2. the large room will need the same for bass management, which could be costlier...
Regards

Edit: please also go through this thread. Some good points there too:

Not treated bigger space vs a small space treated acoustically?

Hello everyone! I hope you are all safe and doing well. I am currently faced with 2 options which are as follows : - A room of 20 x 18 x H 8.5 feet with speakers placed 9 feet apart and 18 feet from the listening position which I cannot treat acoustically. The second room being 13 x 15 x H 8.5...

www.hifivision.com