speakers Need Perfect Speakers for Acoustically Hostile Placement

[Temporal_Dissident]

Seeking speaker recommendation. Here is the situation: 

 

Cabinetry in our kitchen has two cabinets for speakers. See photo below. This is next to the ceiling,...about 7-8' off the ground. For the last 8 years, these have had a pair of B&W 705 speakers, wired to a multi-channel amp pushing about 60w. And it has sounded terrible. 

 

There are several issues which, I believe, make this an especially "hostile" environment for speakers: 

• No fixed listening position. It is a kitchen. We are all over the place. 
• Next to ceiling...I imagine this creates unhealthy reflections
• Inside a box. Ugh. It is what it is. Should this disqualify any rear-ported designs? 

 

New system:

• New amp will deliver 140wpc of class A/B power
• Rebuilt "grills" to allow much more open space
• I may treat the inside of the cabinetry with absorptive material (should I?)
• Bookshelf speakers will lay on their side, likely on dampening foam like Auralex Mopads that will reduce vibration and allow some downward tilt

 

Now I need to choose speakers. Any suggestions...? 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance.  

 

 

[Ralf11]

I see they bored a hole for an acoustic port!

 

Yes, disqualify any rear-ported designs.

 

Aim them down a bit

 

Consider running them in mono

 

Easy Listening music for the kitchen...

[Ralf11]

I only have lists of active speakers for a similar hostile setup (office corners), but a modern LS3/5a....

 

You might add some fill speakers on countertops.

 

I would NOT spend for super high quality speakers given the setup

[fas42]

Strongly recommend that whatever you buy, when laying on its side that you support the speakers as firmly as possible at the four corner point extremities only - and experiment with what precisely you use to do the supporting there ... the benefits should be a 'tighter' sound, more convincing bass - when you get closer to a good match in the materials.

[Temporal_Dissident]

8 hours ago, fas42 said:

Strongly recommend that whatever you buy, when laying on its side that you support the speakers as firmly as possible at the four corner point extremities only - and experiment with what precisely you use to do the supporting there ... the benefits should be a 'tighter' sound, more convincing bass - when you get closer to a good match in the materials.

 

Interesting. So you would not be a fan of these:

https://audioengineusa.com/shop/accessories/ds2-desktop-stand-pair/

 

OR

 

https://www.auralex.com/product/mopad-mopad-xl/

 

???

[firedog]

In that situation, I'd skip the amp and go with powered speakers that also have built in ability to use DSP to account for placement: KEF powered speakers and Genelec come to mind. There are others. 
 

Or go for a decent sounding lifestyle type speaker designed to be used on a shelf: 

something like this:

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/hogtalare-true-hifi-wireless-sound-for-everyone/x/11705801#/

 

I can tell you how the Hogtalare sounds about a month from now.

[fas42]

14 hours ago, Temporal_Dissident said:

 

Interesting. So you would not be a fan of these:

https://audioengineusa.com/shop/accessories/ds2-desktop-stand-pair/

 

OR

 

https://www.auralex.com/product/mopad-mopad-xl/

 

???

 

Correct. My experiences are that the best sound is derived when the structure of the speaker cabinet can be firmly connected to a much greater mass - the vibration of the speaker box as the drivers operate is coupled to this separate weight, attenuating the distortion generated by the cabinet not being able to dissipate the energy, when lacking the connection.

 

The corners of the cabinet are the most inert part of the cabinet, so the energy is transferred most effectively by using these points ... of course, if the surface one couples to at these points is very flimsy, or light, then there will be little value in doing this. In these situations I bring in the heaviest, non-metallic, slab of something to provide damping mass - again, I would just suggest experimenting; see what you find happens ...

[cjf]

I would look at "Bluesound" products to accomplish this task. One of their self powered devices that use Wireless or ETH and team with ROON as an Endpoint (if you use that).

[Temporal_Dissident]

On 10/14/2019 at 10:35 PM, cjf said:

I would look at "Bluesound" products to accomplish this task. One of their self powered devices that use Wireless or ETH and team with ROON as an Endpoint (if you use that).

 

perhaps irrationally, I am suspicious of wireless sound quality 

[cjf]

In this case and use purpose I dont think Wireless would be an issue. I agree that Wireless would be my last choice to use in my main rig but using it in the kitchen while cooking my morning breakfast and sipping coffee with music playing over relatively inexpensive monitors I have doubts anyone could tell a difference between wired/wireless connectivity.

[Temporal_Dissident]

UPDATE: 

 

I tested two products from ELAC: 

1. Adante AS-61 (bass reflex design)

2. Debut C6-2 (front ported)

 

Both fit the space fine and sounded great. The Debuts were higher impedance, so louder at same volume, But the Adante we much more resolving. I chose to go with the Adante. 

 

In order to angle the speakers downward, I installed a 1" board in the back of the cabinet to lift up rear of the speaker cabinet. I cut the top of this board to match the angle of and sit flush against the speaker cabinet.

 

In order to hold the speaker in position, isolate it from the cabinet, and protect it from rubbing, three "Thin Fat Dots" from Herbie's Audio Lab will sit between this board and the back of the speaker. Two more will sit under the front corner of the speaker. 

 

To guard against the speaker sliding forward and falling out of the cabinet, I mounted Rubber Feet Bumpers Pads to the bottom of the cabinet in front of the speaker. My intention is that these will never directly contact the speaker, but are there as a bumper to prevent the speaker of sliding out in case vibration causes it to "walk." 

 

Last step will be the grills. I had a local cabinet maker create wooden frames that match the openings. Fabric is Guilford of Maine FR701 Fabric. I will glue into place with Speaker Cloth Repair Adhesive from Simply Speakers and hold these grills in place with Magnetic Latches I found on Amazon. 

 

These will be fed primarily by...

Roon Nucleus+ >

Bluesound Node 2i analog out > 

Crestron SWAMP Amp (140wpc)

 

There are a few photos of the project below. Thanks all for the advice.