Yeah, I noticed the UK thing...most of your brands aren't available here. But the over-all concept applies. There's 50 other high-end brands selling in the states, at retail. I'm dedicated to active speakers only because that's a formula. It simplifies things. Otherwise its chaos. My choices are: spend very little on vintage, buying mail-order. Sell em if I don't like em. Or buy used, modern, high-end by mail if I can't find em used, locally. My last resort is paying $2,000 USD per speaker, at retail. Being a bottom-feeder is very difficult at times.
Thanks for the extra info hopefully t will start to narrow down the replies and make them more specific.
So we are looking for used, older active speakers (likely to be studio monitors, rather than hifi, with larger woofers 8" maybe) for use in a very large room but in a localised listening area for moderate listening levels. Correct ?
Couple of point to bear in mind - each speaker will need a power outlet fairly close or extension cables will be needed to one/each. Ideally the speakers should make an equilateral triangle with the listener, so that may help plan your space, for the sort of speakers you are looking at this is probably going to be a triagle with 8-12ft sides. Finally speakers tend to work best around 2ft from any walls and wold benefit from having a rug between the speakers and the listener.
Finally if you want no equipment between the speakers then I posted a quick experiment using chromecast audio and my active speakers, this may be of interest. This would also work for Sonos Connect boxed AFAIK - Chromecast Audio Stereo Pair
Problems due to sound delay in a room would only happen if you used more than a pair of speakers at the same time so no problems with a stereo pair.
The likely reflective nature of your particular room could be an issue here. Have you used any music playback systems in this particular room before? If so, what did it sound like? If not, could you borrow a system just to try out in this room? Usually, a highly reflective space (which this room appears to be) requires pretty extensive acoustic treatment (to control the reflections) to make the sound good, I'm afraid. It's possible that room correction electronics may help though the cost would eat into your budget.
Do a quick 'handclap' check:
The Importance of Room Acoustics Search the Alesis Knowledge Base for any immediate support needs. /proxy.php?image=https://www.alesis.com/apple-touch-icon-57x57.png?v=pgg4YELRQR&hash=5de093608a2e4ca025b069e1d7f0c1b4&return_error=1 www.alesis.com
Smartphone apps are probably available to help determine the room acoustic characteristics too.
I'd be wary of purchasing an expensive setup only for it to sound poor due to room acoustic problems. If it were me, I'd want to satisfy myself that the room could sound good (or be made to sound good) before purchasing any equipment. Also, the further the listening position is from the speakers, the more the room acoustics are likely to impact the sound quality.
It does help. I forgot about the wall plugs! And the decor, which is set in stone. I thank everyone here. But I get it, finally. I'll return here or another post when I get to the next step.
If you do go down the active monitor route - here's a couple of examples of what you could get -
Mackie HR824 (I have these), 8" woofer with F3 of 37hz - $1500when new per pair
/proxy.php?image=https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6GwAAOSwwmBdxkEt/s-l400.jpg&hash=1045eddf9a0e1ff2998223392d4563d0&return_error=1 Mackie HR824 Monitor Speakers 1 pair USED| eBay Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mackie HR824 Monitor Speakers 1 pair USED at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products! www.ebay.com
Dynaudiop BM12 mk3 $2500 per pair (this is a starting bid, not buy it now)
/proxy.php?image=https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ufAAAOSwBTld0APm/s-l400.jpg&hash=0f5d7f3b2b801dab0d4bce40fbf857ec&return_error=1 DYNAUDIO BM12 MKIII PAIRACTIVE STUDIO MONITORS Speakers - Great Conditions| eBay DYNAUDIO BM12 MKIII PAIR - ACTIVE STUDIO MONITORS speakers. Great working condition including power cord. www.ebay.com
Is it an absolute requirement to inter-connect the chromcast between the two speaks? Or can one chromcast unit / one speaker work independently?
Also - Do they make amps that receive a cell phone signal through wifi or are they all bluetooth?
"If I was buying new it be like $8,000 plus ..."
This is not helpful, we don't care how much money you would like to spend in theory, we need to know how much money you ACTUALLY have to spend.
Next, how can you have a room that large in new construction that is 70% windows? That does not seem structurally sound. So, we are going to need a better description of the place. For example, are the windows Floor to Ceiling?
You have a 50ft x 33ft space, but given that you said you don't need loud levels we would need to ask - How big is the Listening Space?
Next, we need to know how you will use the system? Will you need Network Streaming, will you use the system for TV & Movie watching?
Then we come to specific features that you will need from the Amp/Receiver?
- Tone Controls
- Network Streaming
- DAC (digital to analog converter)
- Phono-In
- Sub-Out
- Room EQ
- Bass Management
- How much Power?
- Silver, Black, or Other?
- How big can the speaker be? Large Floorstanding? Modest Bookshelf? Other?
I believe in one of your posts you said you could go up to $4000/pair for speakers. Can we assume that implies a budget of $2000 for the Amp/Receiver?
Also, do you just need Amp and Speakers, or are there other components you might need? CD Player? BlueRay Player? Turntable? Network Streaming (again)? Other?
Getting a system is as much about YOU and your personal preferences as it is about the other equipment. You define the system you need, and than narrows down the choices.
Here is an example for illustration -
The Klipsch Forte III have been getting very good reviews, and these are very high efficiency speakers. So, they can play loud and filll the space using only modest power, or they can play very quiet and still sound good.
Klipsch Forte III, 12" woofer, horn Mid/High, 15" passive radiator, 400w peak power - US$4000/pair -
/proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/products/2017/21/714/g714FORTE3W-F.jpg&hash=f7592edf529391215ddfd48508558950&return_error=1 Klipsch Forte III (American Walnut) Floor-standing speaker at Crutchfield FREE Shipping:A fresh take on a classic Klipsch tower speaker For over 30 years Klipsch has delighted music lovers with their popular line of Forte series /proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20190404122200/icons/site/favicon.ico&hash=a2b3b241b92dfe86f94feb41ed62e4a9&return_error=1 www.crutchfield.com
Walnut, Cherry, Black, and Special Walnut.
Rotel RA-1572 Integrated Amp, 120w/ch, DAC, Tone, Bluetooth - $2000/each -
/proxy.php?image=https://content.abt.com/media/images/products/BDP_Images/big_RA1572BK.jpg&hash=068c468f256031b8585935211425bf98&return_error=1 Abt.com - Rotel RA-1572 2 x 120 Watts Power Output/ iOS Control App/ Moving Magnet Phono Input/ Bluetooth With aptX/ AKM Premium 32-Bit/768kHz Digital To Analog Converter/ T-Network Capacitors/ Black Finish /proxy.php?image=https://content.abt.com/media/images/abt-favicon-32x32.jpg&hash=5a0584843c4719579811b7ad57385aff&return_error=1 www.abt.com
Should be available in Black or Silver. For those large efficient Klipsch Speakers, this 120w/ch amp should be more than enough.
Now, what else do you need? -
Rotel C14 CD Player - $800 -
/proxy.php?image=https://content.abt.com/media/images/products/BDP_Images/big_RA1572BK.jpg&hash=068c468f256031b8585935211425bf98&return_error=1 Abt.com - Rotel RA-1572 2 x 120 Watts Power Output/ iOS Control App/ Moving Magnet Phono Input/ Bluetooth With aptX/ AKM Premium 32-Bit/768kHz Digital To Analog Converter/ T-Network Capacitors/ Black Finish /proxy.php?image=https://content.abt.com/media/images/abt-favicon-32x32.jpg&hash=5a0584843c4719579811b7ad57385aff&return_error=1 www.abt.com
Black or Silver
If you need Network Streaming of Audio, then you have some basic options in the $350 to $500 range -
Yamaha WXC-50 Streamer Pre-Amp - $350 each -
/proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/products/2016/15/022/g022WXC50DS-F.jpg&hash=1674cf4505d51f6f5884988672d97110&return_error=1 Yamaha WXC-50 MusicCast wireless streaming preamplifier with Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, and Apple® AirPlay® at Crutchfield FREE 2-day Shipping: Already have an amp you love? Add flexible wireless music playback with the Yamaha WXC-50 and give it new life. Add flexible /proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20190404122200/icons/site/favicon.ico&hash=a2b3b241b92dfe86f94feb41ed62e4a9&return_error=1 www.crutchfield.com
Bluesound Node-2i - $550 -
/proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/products/2018/37/813/g813NODE2IB-o_other1.jpg&hash=608d235cb86915ed2cf7b34b66545a82&return_error=1 Bluesound Node 2i (Black) Streaming music player with built-in Wi-Fi®, Apple® AirPlay® 2, and Bluetooth® at Crutchfield FREE 2-day Shipping:Get more from your high-performance audio system The Node 2i brings your current audio gear into the Bluesound wireless network /proxy.php?image=https://images.crutchfieldonline.com/ImageBank/v20190404122200/icons/site/favicon.ico&hash=a2b3b241b92dfe86f94feb41ed62e4a9&return_error=1 www.crutchfield.com
Black or White
Forte-III RA-1572 = ~$6000
Forte-III RA-1572 CD14 WXC-50 = $7150
Forte-III RA-1572 CD14 Node-2i = $7300
Of course there are many other options to consider.
Just a few thoughts.
Steve/bluewizard
The room passed the handclap test, better in two areas than the third. And I also just tried a portable Bose speaker. It's fine. But very interesting the Bose sound is much better from one end of the room than the other. In fact the Bose filled the room and sounded much better 50 ft away than from 4 feet away from me, at the other end of the room. I think this is due to the 26 linear feet of upholstered furniture and 3 rugs in between the kitchen and the other end of the room. Hence, this would tell me the ideal speaker placement.
See the link in post #22. I had two Chrome cast audios, one for each active speaker. You set them up as a group in the google home app and then play to the group.
Amps like the Yamaha rn602 and rn803 have streaming built in, plus Apple, chrome cast and other protocols that run over WiFi. The rn803 may be useful for you as it has built in room equalisation which may help get the best out of your room.
I appreciate all the help. But between power outlet limitations, placement of furniture and decor, and hassles with using wired, I have just seen the best way... I'm gonna do it empirically. Using several portable speakers to do a variety of tests. The bose portable test and handclap were illuminating.