802 diamond room size and placement

[akhter]

I was considering the 804 diamond as an upgrade from the N804 but had a chance to listen to the 802Diamonds.

Question is that is my room going to make them sound to boomy compared to a 803di or 804di. I have to place them about 6-8 inches from the wall and they will be along the long edge of a 21'X12' room. they will be about 7 ft apart and about 8 ft from the main listening position.

They sales guy recommended the 804D but i upgrade speakers every 8-10 years and this small apartment will be temporary i.e. for the next 2 years at most and then i will move to a bigger place and don't want to lose out on a big upgrade...

Thoughts?

[akhter]

One thing to note, I have already bought the source/pre which will be a Linn Akurate DSM. I am 99% sure the amp will be a McIntosh MC302 if I get the 802D2. If I go with 803D2 or 804D instead, then the amp will be a Classe CA2300 and the pre will be a Classe CP800 as they have a good deal on that amp with those speakers and I will us the Linn Akruate DSM as a HDMI switcher and Digital streamer source (CP800 ethernet port is for show only it seems).

[madmac]

I believe that within reason, no speaker is too big for a room. It will simply be a question as to how loud you can play them really. 6 inches from the wall is quite close so bass will be more boomy than you might like. You'll have to find a way to control that. Try to get them out at least 15 inches if possible and eeven then, you will need to equalize the bass to get the best result.

[akhter]

6-8 inches is really the limit. i will get some acoustic foam and stick behind the speaker.

I don't think i can be happy with the 803/4D2 even if its right for the room

In two years when I move to a bigger place I will have serious regrets if I don't jump on the 802D2 now.

[stuofsci02]

I think you have answered your own question.

The 802Di are not going to be as outstanding as they could be in your current room. In your current room it may well be that the 804Di sound better.

But if you are buying, with the knowledge that this room it temporary and the next is permanent, then I don't think the decision is difficult.

[Rod#S]

You said it yourself, your apartment is temporary, go for the 802's. That way you will have them when you move. The 804's are fairly expensive in their own right and with you saying you only upgrade every 8 to 10 years you'll be out of your apartment in 2, left with 6 to 8 years before you upgrade again and then left with disapointment that you didn't get the 802's. I'm in the same situation, a small apartment and went with the 802's knowing I won't be here forever.

[akhter]

how does the 802D sound in a small apartment? how did you manage the bass boominess?

[leo2498]

ok guys with this post I have a doubt, I have my 804D in a small room and I only get the real bass output when I increase the volume to reference level (75dB) and this is very loud for an apartament, you are saying that with the 802Di I could get the bass like a sub with low level of volume?

[akhter]

very good point leo.

i should note that i do not plan to add a sub anytime soon.

i think there will be more bass but it will probably be the boomy reflected bass not the tight bass from a good sub like jl audio.

[Rod#S]

how does the 802D sound in a small apartment? how did you manage the bass boominess?

They sound absolutely amazing. They produce and incredibly clear, focused sound which is very 3 dimensional in nature. There is not a hint of bass boominess either with my room eq running or when I run my processor in bypass mode and I have had the speakers in two orientations, 7.1 along one wall and 5.1 along another wall. The floors are hardwood and the walls are practically bare.

Don't let room size fool you. I live in a relatively small apartment and have run a 7.1 with sterreo subs setup with no issues at all. That's 7x330 watts with two 400 watt subs and a 3000 watt sub. My speakers are crossed over as close to their low frequency extensions as possible given the 10Hz increments my processor allows for. Once the speaker distances, levels and eq are set my pathetic room sounds wonderful. I have always had a large mat in front of my mains and center and when I went from 7.1 to 5.1 I had to put a large mat on what is the back wall to curb a serious reverberation problem in the corner where my left surrond is placed.

[akhter]

Thanks very happy to hear it.

I will run a purely 2ch system with mcintosh power amp and linn source+pre. no bass management or eq are options for me.

If eq was a must i would have considered a classe cp800 in the mix which has 5 point parametric eq.

[Rod#S]

ok guys with this post I have a doubt, I have my 804D in a small room and I only get the real bass output when I increase the volume to reference level (75dB) and this is very loud for an apartament, you are saying that with the 802Di I could get the bass like a sub with low level of volume?

Not with the 802Di. Even at high volumes it just doesn't perform like a dedicated sub at the low frequency levels and I would need some real world convincing to hear that even the larger 800Di could do that. Don't get me wrong the bass is solid and focused but to expect night club levels of bass is unrealistic. Whether someone would feel the bass is lacking, especially at low volumes is a personal taste thing. For music at low levels I find it does just fine. To get the most out if it at low levels I would add a larger power amp. I'm a Brsyton guy and use the 4B-SST so for me to get more soild bass and just overall better control of the speakers at low volume I would step up from the 300 watt 4B-SST to the 600 watt 7B-SST or 1000 watt 28B-SST.

[leo2498]

Not with the 802Di. Even at high volumes it just doesn't perform like a dedicated sub at the low frequency levels and I would need some real world convincing to hear that even the larger 800Di could do that. Don't get me wrong the bass is solid and focused but to expect night club levels of bass is unrealistic. Whether someone would feel the bass is lacking, especially at low volumes is a personal taste thing. For music at low levels I find it does just fine. To get the most out if it at low levels I would add a larger power amp. I'm a Brsyton guy and use the 4B-SST so for me to get more soild bass and just overall better control of the speakers at low volume I would step up from the 300 watt 4B-SST to the 600 watt 7B-SST or 1000 watt 28B-SST.

yes that it's I had thought but something is true the 802Di are a astonish speaker, I hope some day have the right room and the money for them

[PewterTA]

They sound absolutely amazing. They produce and incredibly clear, focused sound which is very 3 dimensional in nature. There is not a hint of bass boominess either with my room eq running or when I run my processor in bypass mode and I have had the speakers in two orientations, 7.1 along one wall and 5.1 along another wall. The floors are hardwood and the walls are practically bare.

You know what's funny. Is I demoed the 802D vs 802Di and listened to the Di first. As soon as I switched to the 802Ds I noticed that the bass is much "bigger." And after listening to the tightness and tactality of the 802Dis it actually gave me a sense of seeming booming...and just an overall LOT more bass. What really got to me and the decision to go with the 802Dis was the fact that the bass and soundstage of the 802Ds was so much larger than the room was that it created this conflict of what I was hearing/sensing and I had a tough time enjoying them. The 802Dis worked much better in the room I demoed them in. It was a big shocker for me. I'm sure though once I would've gotten them home I'd have been fine with them, but at the time I just wasn't sure. Since I got the 802Dis in my house, they have definitely shown me how much they love my place over the dedicated room they were being demoed in. Even though the room was dedicated...it still left a lot to be desired....

So I think the 802Dis work much better with whatever room they are given, where the 802Ds are just the way they are no matter what. ha ha.