[greggs]

Hello,
My interest in joining Audio Circle is to get ideas on setting up a 2 ch system.
I live near Milwaukee and plan to head down to Shaumberg to Axpona in APR.
I was looking forward to hearing the Salk Songtowers with Van Alstine electronics, but it looks like AVA isn't planning on attending (Darn). I still plan to go to hear some Salks though.
My goal is find a system that has great voice, piano, string guitar, including at "quieter" levels (when the wife's in bed. She often heads to bed at 8pm).
I'm targeting the Salk's mainly because I've read that they work well, even in small rooms, tucked up fairly close to the wall. 
I basically have no set up now, just the 5.1 tv setup with absolutely nothing special.
Many, many, years past I was all in on 70's rock, with a pair of MG 1's driven by my Marantz 2325. Now it's Blues (Beth Hart), Voice (Sinatra, Krall), some classical, lots of diverse stuff.
Regards,
Gregg

[FullRangeMan]

Welcome Gregg
I cant hear Sinatra and Krall, but Perry Como and Sade.

[Phil A]

Welcome!

[richidoo]

In general, larger woofers make it easier to listen to low frequencies at low volume than small woofers.  If possible, go for 12" or larger bass driver for full detailed low frequencies at soft volumes. Placing smaller speakers closer to the wall can also help support low frequencies, even on small woofer speakers. Vintage speakers have larger woofers than modern speakers and they can be found on local classified listings. 

[JLM]

Welcome.

Frankly your goals seem like an exercise in futility.  Listening at realistic levels (or to the entire music frequency spectrum) is quintessential to high fidelity sound reproduction.  Like most audiophiles you seem to lack a proper room (size/shape/insulated) in which to listen.  That's what headphones are for (did headphones in the dorms - great solution).  If you don't like that answer consider desktop listening in a spare room as a compromise and visit audiostream.com for recommendations.  (I have similar small system in a proper room.)

BTW Axpona has in the past had a nice room dedicated to many vendors of headphone systems. 

[ArthurDent]

Greetings & Welcome to AC greggs   

[greggs]

Thanks JLM.
Excellent suggestion.. I'll try some headphones at Axpona and dismiss my "quieter" listening levels goal.

I'm interested in the Salk songtowers, because they..
  * have a Wonderfully small (8x12 or 8x10) footprint
  * are So Very PRETTY
  * can be tucked up close to the wall and will provide good "transmission line" bass (I hope in a 11x10' room).
That being said, I'm not locked in to these but I am truly hoping they can be part of my solution.

So now my plan is to listen at realistic (wife awake) levels, in a 11x10 room, to Salk songtowers with an AVA tube amp or 400R amp (not sure of the preamp).
Do you think this plan is do-able or still an exercise in futility?
Is there a recommended minimum room size for this type of speaker?
 
If you think this is a mistake, it's ok to say so, some plans are bad plans.

Any and all further suggestions and criticisms are appreciated. I have some pretty thick skin.
Regards,
Gregg

[JakeJ]

Hello and welcome to AC, greggs.  I think you've got a solid plan there that will give you many hours of musical bliss.