[motorcitym3]

I listening for hours comfortably in this chair.




I made a platform to get my ears at tweeter level.

[Desertpilot]

Thanks for starting this thread as I find I'm searching for the "right" chair.

You are most welcome.

[Desertpilot]

Glad to see everyone's, more serious (LOL), suggestions.  I may put my office chair (low back, of course) in place of my recliner to see if it makes a difference.  When I stand behind my recliner, the sound is much more enveloping (I do surround sound, 5.1).  But, I can't stand for too long.  So, that is prompting my listening chair inquiry.

[magicjack74]

I use the Mattiazzi Medici Lounge Chair. It doesn't have cushioning so that doesn't reduce the SPL nearest to you. However, you'd need some other kind of cushioning for long listening sessions, like something built-in... 

[Early B.]

When I stand behind my recliner, the sound is much more enveloping (I do surround sound, 5.1).

When audiophiles talk about the sweet spot, tweeter height, etc., it's based on sitting in a chair which is always a low point in the room. However, the true sweet spot can often be found in a standing position. How about something like this?


   

[mick wolfe]

I've been using an IKEA Poang chair for over a decade. Comfy and won't break the bank. In my bigger more casual HT/audio listening space, I listen on the sofa portion of a sectional. This after I get my dog to  move over.

[Loki57]

[aniwolfe]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWpPf59LkhA

[Bob2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWpPf59LkhA

Thanks for posting that link!
Watched the video, pretty good, and followed his link for possible purchase. Reached the cart stage and found no option for USA purchase or shipping. They are located in Canada but have a wherehouse in Cali.??? Contacted them via e-mail and will update this when I have more info.
The EM Lounge chair is a 1 to 1 copy of the Eames and uses premium materials.  $1775 Canadian sees a decent price in dollar conversion

I had an Eames copy years ago from Amazon. Actually great chair but sold it and bought a custom-built recliner. The back is too high for listening hence the interest in a new chair.

https://eternitymodern.ca/em-lounge-chair-ottoman

[Dieterle Tool]

Mayo chair in Monte Cristo Dune with matching ottoman.

It's considered a chair, however I can scootch over a make room for two. 

[Bob2]

Mayo chair in Monte Cristo Dune with matching ottoman.

It's considered a chair, however I can scootch over a make room for two. 

Looks very comfy. I like the make room for 2 option..

[Kaiju2189]

How about "What scotch do you use for critical listening?"

If Bourbon counts, Old Forrester 100 or  Old Forrester 1920 if I haven’t already spent all of my money on HiFi

[Bob2]

Has anyone here sat/used a Barcelona chair for listening? Good/bad?
The back of the chair is lower than an Eames style lounge chair. Not sure how it would be with no arm rest.

[Mr. Big]

Nice chair! I like arms though. The thing about any chair suggestion is how tall are you, I am 6'5" my wife is 5"2" same chair we both hear a different sound. I like kneeling or sitting on the floor sounds better than when I sit but unless I find a chair 12" only off the floor which is impossible and would not be easy getting in and out of. smile! So I slouch down in my chair to lock in the sound. Smile!

[djpk]

The discussion on this topic motivated me to get a new chair. I chose the Ikea Poang chair, but Ikea will not ship to my location so I ended up paying about 50% over the retail price from a third party seller. Not happy about that, but the closest Ikea store is a 4 and 1/2 hour drive from my location and by the time I factor in the cost of gasoline, time, and travel risk it was better just to order from the third party seller. I would like to get the matching Ikea Poang ottoman stool, but Ikea will not ship that either and the ones I have found on-line from third party sellers is over 100% above the retail price.

[genjamon]

Poangs are so common, I would bet the ottoman could be found used via Facebook, Craigslist, etc without too much trouble.  What part of the country/zip code do you live?  I have at least one, if not two, of the ottomans I wouldn't mind parting with.

[jnschneyer]

Has anyone here sat/used a Barcelona chair for listening? Good/bad?
The back of the chair is lower than an Eames style lounge chair. Not sure how it would be with no arm rest.

The lack of arms is, I suppose, a matter of habit or preference. I sit in the middle of a small couch and use the arms only to set a drink or what have you on, so I’m used to not having the couch’s arms as props for my own. What you need to be careful of with the Barcelona is to be sure get the real McCoy and not a knockoff. I made the mistake of getting a knockoff some years ago (not for listening but in a, relatively speaking, poor man’s quest for furniture fashion), and soon discovered why the OG costs multiple thousands while the knockoff costs multiple hundreds. Apart from the leather being cheaper, the quilting less quilted, and the frame oh so subtly less elegant, the angle of the seat coupled with the rake of the back made sitting in it for really any period of time untenable. The angle is such that, to sit in it and look at anything other than where the wall joins the ceiling, I have to curl my upper back forward and hold that position, which, while excellent work for the abs and neck, is completely hopeless for actually relaxing. And, even if I were to give in and put my shoulders back to contemplate the union of wall and ceiling, the height of the back provides no support for the head, so, once again, my supposed lounge chair has become an exercise apparatus. Now, if you happen to be a boxer and are in need of a chair that can work both your abs and your neck, or are an ascetic and simply want to ensure you will never be entirely comfortable, I cannot recommend a knockoff Barcelona highly enough. However, if you want a chair that is beautifully crafted, elegant, comfortable, withal a piece of art in which you can safely and truly relax and devote your attention to music, spend the dough and get the real deal. Mine now sits in the entranceway of our house and does an excellent job as a weigh station for bags of groceries on their way from the car into the kitchen and for packages on their way out to the post office. I’m sure there’s a moral in there somewhere; however, as I’m also sure it does not redound to my credit, I choose not to pursue it.

[Early B.]

Hey guys -- make sure you focus on what's most important -- comfort. Doesn't matter if your choice of chair has a high or low back, arms or no arms, leather or vinyl, etc.

Not too long ago, I purchased a low-back desk chair, placed it in the sweet spot (in front of my recliner sofa) for critical listening, and convinced myself it sounded better. Then one day I decided to sit on the sofa which is much more comfortable than the desk chair. I realized that the listening experience is best achieved in a highly relaxed state in spite of not being in the perfect spot or at the perfect height. 

[SFDude]

There is a risk that if the chair is TOO comfortable, you may just doze off after a good listening session. I tend to listen at the end of the evening and end up falling asleep not too long into a session. I have a sectional sofa in my listening room and it’s usually referred to as the “napping room” as well.

[Folsom]

The discussion on this topic motivated me to get a new chair. I chose the Ikea Poang chair, but Ikea will not ship to my location so I ended up paying about 50% over the retail price from a third party seller. Not happy about that, but the closest Ikea store is a 4 and 1/2 hour drive from my location and by the time I factor in the cost of gasoline, time, and travel risk it was better just to order from the third party seller. I would like to get the matching Ikea Poang ottoman stool, but Ikea will not ship that either and the ones I have found on-line from third party sellers is over 100% above the retail price.

Bruh, that 50% upcharge is MORE THAN WORTH IT. Believe me you don't want to go to Ikea. I bet more people shit their pants in those stores than any other store there is... not because of sticker price shock but because you can get lost in miles of twisty turny show space. I'm not joking, it takes a LONG TIME to get through that and you never knew which direction you came from except arrows on the floor. Thankfully they have a bathroom somewhere in that labyrinth; and no minotaurs - surely if they had one it would takes weeks to discover. Then when you finally get a product off a shelf in an entirely different area where everything is packaged on shelves, you wait 2+ hours in a line to checkout where they have like 4 of 30 registers open. Fuck going there.

But also even though I really like my Poang chair, Ikea is a bunch of scum bags. Yes they have the most recyclable packaging I've seen... but they get their wood from illegal harvests in/near/into poor countries etc. They're as evil as anyone else and then some. But it's a dang good chair. Believe it or not they're rated to 375lbs!!! You can have pretty much whatever you want sit in your lap if you're not too big.

Hey guys -- make sure you focus on what's most important -- comfort. Doesn't matter if your choice of chair has a high or low back, arms or no arms, leather or vinyl, etc.

Not too long ago, I purchased a low-back desk chair, placed it in the sweet spot (in front of my recliner sofa) for critical listening, and convinced myself it sounded better. Then one day I decided to sit on the sofa which is much more comfortable than the desk chair. I realized that the listening experience is best achieved in a highly relaxed state in spite of not being in the perfect spot or at the perfect height.

I'm about comfort. If I fall asleep ok, I needed it. Hopefully it isn't too long since I spin records. I think people that listen in office hairs etc are insane - ya I have a few friends like that. Also I think almost all "reflections" from chairs etc are lack of reflections that people actually hear.

IMO if a stereo sounds really good the sweet spot is 10% or less of added value. And unless the back of the chair has wings or is pure wood, it's not really an issue.

Funny thing is I've been wanting the same chair since 2016 that I haven't been able to find again. NO ONE knows what I'm talking about. The store that had it is simply confused when I ask. I've gone back a few times. I figure one day maybe I'll offer an absurd reward to track it down. It is the definitive most comfortable chair of my entire life and I want it for a listening chair no matter how fugly it is... It kills me inside to know it existed but I cannot find it.

I do not like stressless chairs that are in most stores.

And Eames chairs are for midgets or people without necks. They're remarkably uncomfortable for anyone remotely tall. It's nothing but a head lifting exercise the entire time.

For an upright I've found Lazy Boy fabric love seats are pretty comfortable but certainly not perfect. Honestly I sorta despise the brand but I have to admit that one particular product isn't too bad. My legs are slightly so so about it. I find the ottoman is slightly too high or needs a slope down on one end.