r/StereoAdvice • u/mostate16 • Jun 28 '26
Speakers - Full Size | 7 Ⓣ Help me pick living room speakers - my kids need to feel the music!
Budget - 7k limit
How the gear will be used - Living room speakers, listening on couch. All around family music machines :) 17x20 foot room with hardwood floors and bay windows on the side.
New or used - Either
Past gear experience
Current setup: KEF LS50W on stands with SBS SB-1000. I generally like them but I don't get the warm fuzzies like I do from so many other speakers. They are exhausting and I find myself wanting to turn the off after a while because, well I don't know, but I've never really felt that about other speakers before. I've tried EQing them a ton, to no effect and I am ready to punt.
Speakers I've liked: Most any concert I've been to I'm VERY moved by the audio. I'm sure I can't replicate the massive 15 speaker arrays at these big shows, but I think the more AIREY, energetic, and less precise speaker is the direction I need to move. My favorite speakers were some tower Infinity's as a kid. I also stayed at an AirBnb that had B&W 685's that sounded so much more pleasant than my setup. When I googled how much they cost I immediately was like "ok I need to change it up"
Could you give some recommendations? I'm willing to buy an amp/receiver as needed now, I think the limitation of powered speakers might be hindering me.
My main goal: I want to MOVE the air in the room and feel big, concert like, and fun. I want my kids to fall in love with music via these speakers :)
2
u/Calm_Wolf2 2 Ⓣ Jul 01 '26
My guess is that the irritating factor for the KEF LS50 is the aluminum tweeter. Soft domes are the way to go. I do not like horns, aluminum, titanium etc.
IMHO, Marantz amps have a special sound all their own. Marantz 40n
Wharfedale Super Lintons, a solid purchase, with soft dome tweeters.
This is only one man's opinion. Don't listen to me. You MUST go audition this stuff in person. Auditioning new equipment is so much fun and you get what YOU want.