[PSP]

I would like to get listening impressions of the SL Orion from those who have significant listening experience (owners, or at minimum those who have listened seriously for at least several hours) in rooms that really don't fit SL's recommendations very well.

For example:
SL recommends that the Orions be at least 4 feet from the rear wall, but I can just barely manage to get 3 feet.  He also recommends 2-3 feet of clearance on the sides... I've got that.

SL recommends that the distance to the rear wall plus the distance to the listener be at least twice the direct speaker to listener distance (this is so that the direct signal will be significantly stronger than that reflected from the rear wall).  In my room, with speakers 3 feet from the rear wall, and 14 feet from speaker to listener, the direct/reflected distance ratio will be ~1.4.

SL (in e-mail to me) recommends that the listener be in the direct field (rather than the reverberant field).  I will very definitely be in the reverberant field.

My room is L-shaped, so one side of my listening room is bounded by a wall, the other side opens up a third of the way back into a 25 foot long x 17 foot wide games area.  Definitely not a symmetrical listening arrangement!

I listen in this room, we watch movies there, we have parties in this room, my wife (a lovely, audio-tolerant lady) and I love the room layout, the room won't change.  Bottom line:  do you think that "Orions in a less than perfect setting" will still be better than even a very good box speaker?

I listen to lots of music, but my favorites are classical (large scale, small scale, mostly orchestral and piano) and jazz (vocals, piano, big band, sax, etc.).

I am also interested in hearing from those who might be somewhat critical of the Orion.  I've read a bazillion rave reviews... anyone out there not happy with their Orions?  (BTW, I am more interested in listening impressions than philosophical positions on "all those op-amps".)

If I don't build the Orions, I will probably build a large sealed 3-way (for example Jens Thorson's Equilibrium  http://j-a-thorsen.homepage.dk/home_gb.html ).  I have heard this system, and it was "memorable" to say the least.

Thanks for your thoughts and advice,
Peter

[andyr]

Hi Peter,

I'll be interested to see the responses you get.  My take on your situation is that ANY speaker is going to be somewhat compromised in your room - in terms of front wall distance - so you just have to put up with that!  (As you said, the room ain't changing!)  I don't think the lack of R-to-L symmetry is that big a problem except you will get a different tonal balance from each speaker (whatever it is!) and you might have to utilise your GK-1 balance control to centre the image.  The bigger problem is distance away from the wall.

Given this, I would've thought SL's Orion would be able to cope just as well as any other good speaker.  Which one would be the better between it and Jen's Equilibrium speakers is, I think, a coin-toss ... there won't be anybody out there who can give you an actual comparison in any room - let alone one shaped like yours!

Just FYI, I find SL's dictum of "the distance to the rear wall plus the distance to the listener be at least twice the direct speaker-to-listener distance (this is so that the direct signal will be significantly stronger than that reflected from the rear wall)" very strange.

I have Maggie IIIAs - dipoles.  Distance from the panels to the rear wall (well, actually I call it the front wall coz it's in front of me!) is about 5'4"; distance from the panels to me is about 13 1/2' ... so I am definitely disobeying SL's "Law"!!  However, at that distance - and given the distances to the side walls - I would consider myself to be in the direct field, not the reverberant field!

Regards,

Andy

[PSP]

Hi Andy,
Thank you for your ideas on this... your thoughts mirror mine almost exactly.  I was hoping that someone had run Orions in a somewhat ugly room and cold tell me "worked great anyway" or "don't do it".

No such luck, I guess.

I have to say that even though the room is imperfect, the music is pretty damn good (witout reference to "how good it could possibly get if it was perfect" of course) with my current GR Paradox 3 MTM ported floorstanders.  The bass can be (on some recordings) a little loose, which leads me to consider sealed (Jens) and dipole DIY designs.

Thanks so much,
Peter

[youngho]

http://www.audioasylum.com/scripts/t.pl?f=speakers&m=199182