[sfox7076]

So I have SongTower RTs and a full suite of the Song Surrounds (SongCenter, 2 SongSurround 1s and a Rythmik sub).  I used to live in an apartment with a living room that was 20-25" long, 12' wide, and had 9' ceilings.  SongTowers were great in that room (driven by a VanAlstine Ultra 550).  I have moved to my new apartment in Brooklyn.  OK, so the living room is bigger, and it opens up on the kitchen and the living room.  The best way to show it is by seeing. http://fortecondo.com/floor_plans.html  We are in an A-unit.  The speakers are on the left wall in the living room, 3 feet in off the hallway on the right side, and there are no windows on that wall in our unit, so there are only windows on the wall at the top of the page.  The ceilings are 12 feet, the room is closer to 13' wide where the speakers are, and then the room is 30' long.  At the far end, the kitchen opens up and goes in an additional 10', so the room goes to 21' wide.  There is also a hallway that is across from the speakers, that is 15' long.  There is just a lot of air space.  Because of this, I have noticed that I am turning my pre-amp higher (near -17 to -20), when I used to be comfortable at about -25 to -30.  I have not heard any compression issues, or come close to clipping the speakers, but, well, I wonder whether I am really over driving the speakers.    Does anyone have experience with driving the SongTowers in a room near this size?

My next dilemma, the room just off the living room is our office.  I need bookshelf speakers there.  I could by another pair of SongSurround 1s to listen to in there (AVA Ultimate 70 amp and a T-8 preamp)).  I could sell my SongTower RTs, buy HT2-TLs and an appropriate center, have Jim make me an identical SongCenter (with the one I have) and use those as rear speakers and move my SongSurround 1s into the office, etc. So many potential permutations could be done, but in any scenario, it will cost me as much as I spent for my complete SongTower suite verses the $900 for the SongSurrounds.  I figure I can get a bit over $2k+ for the SongTower RTs, but how long that would take I am not sure.  Then $4200 for the HT2-TLs, $1700 for the new center, and a minimum $800 for the SongCenter to match the one I have.  All in, with shipping, it's like $5k (assuming about $2k back on the Songtowers).  So tempting, but expensive. 

Any thoughts?

Shawn

[Nuance]

Do you have a SPL meter to measure how loud the sound is when listening at -17?  If it's not over 100dB the SongTower's shouldn't have a problem IMO.  I've played the SongTower's at 100dB (on purpose) while sitting 11 feet away and heard no compression or distortion, but YMMV.

[sfox7076]

I have an SPL meter.  It isn't over 100db.  As I said, I don't hear compression or anything, I just have to drive them a bit harder.

[Nuance]

Then you shouldn't have an issue.  The ST's now reside in a larger space, thus will have to be played louder to achieve the same perceived volume in said space.  As long as you don't need to play them at ear bleeding levels to fill the space, and so long as you have enough power to get them loud enough for your liking, you should be good to go.  Utilizing a subwoofer will help take some of the strain off the woofers as well, for what it's worth. 

In short, if you have enough power and don't hear any anomalies, you should be fine.  Hope that helps.

[sfox7076]

So I went with SongSurround IIs, one will have an LCY ribbon, and the other will not.  One will replace my current song center (giving me all three LCYs in the front) and then the old center and a new SongSurround 2 goes in the office.  Win win.  And if I ever go 7.1, I am set.  Heh. 

[Nuance]

Nice choice!  Enjoy buddy!