[timc90]

I love my NX-Studios (build log: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=188953.40 )

On occasion though, I wish the music coming out of them were bigger in scale. I’ve read that the BG Neo3 is in a way SPL limited https://www.linkwitzlab.com/frontiers_6.htm#Y%20- but I’m not sure if the GR Neo3 exhibits the same behavior. And if it does behave similarly, I’m not sure if that’s the reason why I sometimes feel the NX-Studios sound small.

Does anyone have ideas on what I can do to increase the scale of the music from the NX-Studios?

Footnote: My previous speakers were Klipsch Forte IVs and I liked the scale they presented. Would it be called a wall of sound maybe?

[Stercom]

Not sure what "bigger scale" means but if you are talking about soundstage then get them away from the front wall (the wall you look at while listening) and make sure you are using a high current amp (all speakers like plenty of current - current is NOT the same as watts - current is what actually drives the speaker cones). Its amazing what a proper amp can do for soundstage.

[timc90]

Thank you Stercom for the suggestion.

Mm I think a good analogy might be that sometimes when listening to the NX Studios, even at loud volumes, I feel like I’m in the last few rows at the back of the concert hall rather than the first few rows.

My speakers are already 3 ft away from the front wall and probably can’t be pulled into the room much more or I’ll be near field (which I’d like to avoid).

Hm interesting… my power amp, a Roksan K3, doesn’t state how much current it supplies. It does state in the manual that its power supply is 550 VA. Is that any indication of whether it qualifies as a high current amplifier?

[KTS]

I the biggest change I noticed in scale are from speaker placement and room treatment. The second was when I switched to class A amps, and other assorted gear. 

[Glady86]

I think some of it is you’re comparing to speakers with horn drivers, they tend to sound more forward and dynamic and with less power needed.

[WGH]

Does anyone have ideas on what I can do to increase the scale of the music from the NX-Studios?

My impression is you have too much front wall damping, the drapes are absorbing the open baffle tweeter front wall reflections making the scale appear smaller.



Everyone has their favorite diffusers which do different things at different frequencies. Broadband diffusers spread all frequencies equally. Stereophile has an excellent article about absorption and diffusion:
NWAA Labs: Measurement Beyond The Atomic Level
https://www.stereophile.com/content/nwaa-labs-measurement-beyond-atomic-level


I would experiment with broadband diffusion panels, either the diffusion absorption panels from GIK Acoustics
https://www.gikacoustics.com/product/evolution-polyfusor-diffusor-absorber-bass-trap/

or the PolyFlex diffusion panels from A/V Room Service to improve soundstage, air and spatial imaging
https://avroomservice.com/diffusers/

[mick wolfe]

My impression is you have too much front wall damping, the drapes are absorbing the open baffle tweeter front wall reflections making the scale appear smaller.



Everyone has their favorite diffusers which do different things at different frequencies. Broadband diffusers spread all frequencies equally. Stereophile has an excellent article about absorption and diffusion:
NWAA Labs: Measurement Beyond The Atomic Level
https://www.stereophile.com/content/nwaa-labs-measurement-beyond-atomic-level[/


I would experiment with broadband diffusion panels, either the diffusion absorption panels from GIK Acoustics
[url=https://www.gikacoustics.com/product/evolution-polyfusor-diffusor-absorber-bass-trap/]https://www.gikacoustics.com/product/evolution-polyfusor-diffusor-absorber-bass-trap/

or the PolyFlex diffusion panels from A/V Room Service to improve soundstage, air and spatial imaging
https://avroomservice.com/diffusers/

I totally agree. I'd move away from the "fully draped" approach and try a few of the front wall treatments mentioned above. Secondly, you can't compare a 99db efficient multi-driver Forte to a 2-way 88db NX Studio expecting the same dynamic scale and jump factor. I have two systems that somewhat display that very scenario. Horn loaded speakers in my bigger listening room and NX Studio Monitors in my small listening room. Each is excellent in their particular setting, but neither would work well if I swapped them between rooms. Your room doesn't look that big. I think the NX Studio Monitors would sound much more alive by letting their tweeter "breathe" in a less damped setting. Won't match the scale of the Forte, but just might be more satisfying.   

[NIGHTFALL1970]

I am in the process of replacing my Sonex foam with Danny’s defusers. I have only put them on the front wall so far, and they work! Background is much quieter. Details are clearer. Extremely worth it.
https://gr-research.com/product/diffusion-panel-sets/

[mick wolfe]

On another note which might be the case IF that's a window lurking behind the drapes. Pull the NX Monitors further into the room and away from the wall. (or probably window) IOW, create more of a near field listening environment.

[S Clark]

What are the room dimensions?   If you can, get them away from the side wall as well as the back wall. 

[timc90]

Wow thank you everyone for the guidance.

My room is 3x4m or approx 10x13ft.

Yes unfortunately behind the curtain is a half height window on the left side. I’d like to avoid near field if possible.

Thankfully I have shipped in some of Danny’s 2D diffusers. Hope to make some time soon to place them on the front “wall” in between the speakers!

But yes I guess I do understand that I probably should not expect the same amount of scale as the Klipsch Fortes…

[nlitworld]

If you were able to high pass filter the speakers, that does help a bit with improved clarity and leading edge immediacy. While my speakers did sound great before, they really could breathe after I offloaded about 90hz to the subs. Also given that we have similar sized listening rooms, it really helps keeping the bass from having two different sources and sounding muddy.

[S Clark]

My room is 3x4m or approx 10x13ft.

I assume you are set up on the 3m wall.  Have you tried setting up on the longer wall?  It's not the usual way, but it might give a wider soundstage.   

[NoahH]

I assume you are set up on the 3m wall.  Have you tried setting up on the longer wall?  It's not the usual way, but it might give a wider soundstage.

To further support this, there is a rule of thumb about having the seating position be a vertex of an equilateral triangle along with the two speakers. However, I find that often that is really the *furthest* you should be away. Being slightly closer to the speakers than they are to each other helps the scale.

In case you did not just mean soundstage on this,.I will note that really complex pieces with lots of instruments at higher volumes often don't seem real on smaller speakers because of the physics involved. It is easiest to visualize with subwoofers. A subwoofer cone can move over an inch as it plays to reproduce sounds at higher levels. If the music calls for that cone to change velocity while either moving full speed towards the other end of travel, or while it is already at an extreme of travel, that can be very, very difficult. If you have 10 such drivers each moving 1/10th of an inch, such changes are far easier. When you have a whole orchestra playing, that behavior becomes more obvious.

[FullRangeMan]

Large Soundstage needs>
1) A big room
2) Free space between speakers (no equips or racks)
3) Free space around the speakers
4) Some space away from the back wall as 1M.
5) A big woofer to move rather air.

[S Clark]

Large Soundstage needs:
1) A big room   Doesn't have one.
2) Free space between speakers (no equips or racks)  limited
3) Free space around the speakers        limited
4) Some space away from the back wall as 1M.
5) A big woofer to moving rather air.      this he has plenty of

All of us have to work with what we've got.    In a room that is  130 sq. ft.  you do the best you can. 

[FullRangeMan]

All of us have to work with what we've got.    In a room that is  130 sq. ft.  you do the best you can.

I also suffer with a small room, so Iam using headphones til I win the lottery LOL
Without these basic conditions above it will be a miracle get a large sound field.