Have your say & ask the experts

Anyone have any thoughts/experience of these speakers? On a previous post these were recommended as suitable for smallish speakers that could sit against the wall. I have a pair on demo at the moment and am very impressed by them considering their size. However the image is very focused and comes out dead central and low down, and the stage seems very left and right rather than all around (top area missing), if that makes sense. Have I maybe got them too far apart (~2 m), or can the fronts be tipped up slightly?

I think my current Acoustic Energy Aegis Neo 3s are just better, but they lose out (in my other half's eyes) because they are larger and need to be away from the wall. Cambridge A&R A60 amp, Marantz CD7200, Rega Planar 3.

Thanks

Kirkview:

Anyone have any thoughts/experience of these speakers? On a previous post these were recommended as suitable for smallish speakers that could sit against the wall. I have a pair on demo at the moment and am very impressed by them considering their size. However the image is very focused and comes out dead central and low down, and the stage seems very left and right rather than all around (top area missing), if that makes sense. Have I maybe got them too far apart (~2 m), or can the fronts be tipped up slightly?

I think my current Acoustic Energy Aegis Neo 3s are just better, but they lose out (in my other half's eyes) because they are larger and need to be away from the wall. Cambridge A&R A60 amp, Marantz CD7200, Rega Planar 3.

Thanks

Hi kirkview

they are small floorstanders by any standards and have tweeters mounted below the midrange/woofer unit. We normally place them on granite slabs which is a good solution for any floorstanders (or stand mounts) for reasons of decoupling but especially in this case to bring the tweeters nearer to ear height when seated. If thats not practical prop the front up so the speakers are firing at a slight angle.

They are focused, very clear and open, quite a revelation compared to some more diffuse sounding speakers. With adequate amplification/source you should have good soundstage. I am not familiar with your Neo's but if you prefer them then why not hang on to them. 

Same thing, just more of it. Whats wrong with your MA's?

batonwielder:

They are great little speakers. I'm saving up to buy the R5's only because it seems to match my listening height. Highly recommended.

This is all at about 8ft distance with the R3's seperated by 6ft and facing square forward (no 'toe in') and with the side mounted speakers facing each other. Concrete floor, thick carpets, and just over a foot from a wall. They play across the shorter dimension of a 13ft x 21ft room with 8.5ft ceilings.

My armchair is not 'on-axis' and yet this configuration sounds fine. I have no need to hunt for 'sweet spots' like with my previous speakers. (MA BR1's on Atacama Nexus 6 stands) I would only buy the R5's to get an upgrade to the whole sound and not just because of the dimensions of where the tweeter is in relation to your ears.

If you have heard both and found your experience is different, in your room (and tweeter position IS a problem for you) then of course my experience is not valid and I defer to your circumstances. I know there are 100's of variables when it comes to room/speaker/furnishings dynamics but I have not found the R3 tweeters being so low as to be any problem at all, even with them being about 21" from a thick carpet.

Thanks for all the replies. I tried firing them upwards, which did help a little but also seemd to upset things with excess bass. They are remarkable little speakers but on balance I'll stick to moving my Neo's away from the wall when I want a proper listen (much to someone else's disappintment).