Is the CLX in a small room a big waste of money?

[cato2009]

Hello All,

I’m thinking of getting the clx. My room is small 12x14. I realize I would not get the most from the speakers. Nevertheless, I imagine the coherence and transparency will be second to none, even in a room that size.

I also imagine that I will not get my money’s worth by having a reduced soundstage?

What else would I be missing/ not maximizing in a small room?

I would especially love to hear from those who have heard the clx in a smallish room or if have experience with the clx or similar speakers in a small room.

 

[C.A.P]

Small rooms like yours will create standing waves and muddy image and staging. Rooms are the single biggest factor in how a speaker can sound. You do not try and stuff a speaker that needs room to breath , at least 4 feet out from front wall and at least 18 inches from the side wall. Now you have a area of 10 feet to sit and listen. You do not want your chair to be pinned to the rear wall as that is a bass boom and stage killer. So come out at least 2 feet now you are at 8 feet. Not the best but it would be a NEAR field experience. Build the system around the room. Some of the best sound I have heard was in small rooms with proper sized speakers.

 

[tonepub]

I don't want to take a sale away from a Martin Logan dealer, but you will not get what the CLX is capable of in a small room.

I'd suggest a set of Vantages or maybe some Spires and spend all that extra money on really good source components. When we had the Vantage here for review, it held it's own with some really expensive gear...

I agree with C.A.P. wholeheartedly

 

[twich54]

Ditto with CAP and Tonepub

 

[cato2009]

Guys, thanks for chiming in. Here's a few more questions: What is meant by "nearfield listening"? Can't the boomy bass be dealt with room treatments, or are you referring to something else? Also, at $6K, it sounds like the Vantage is a world class speaker. Surely, though the CLX at 4X the price will be better, or will it? Any other speaker brand suggestions? All electronics are pretty much world class, and I am not concerned about money, except I don't want to throw it away. Thanks.

 

[timm]

let the others chime in on this -- I think your CLX would sound better than a Vantage in a small room - but, you would be no where close to getting your money's worth... Now if you were to get a larger room at some point - maybe you just saved yourself some money because of your possible itch to upgrade at that point....

Do you think that would be an accurate statement guys? Or, do you really think in a given room you would pick a Vantage over a CLX?

 

[robertawillisjr]

Are you guys saying that the smaller ML's will sound better in his room that a pair of properly set up CLX's? The room is not a small room but rather average size (to me anyway). I presently sit about 11' away from my Quests which are 3' from the side walls and 4' from the front wall. The room is 13X20.

After some judicious room tuning (I don't believe in overdoing it) and a lot of time (years?) tinkering with position the system sounds pretty good. I am also looking at buying a pair of CLX's. I may not get the best out of the CLX's but will they sound better then the smaller speakers?

 

[User211]

timm - I agree, at least.

Here's a lesson I learnt - Ascent/Decent in 28 x 12 in my old house, versus 17 x 12 in the new one. Result? Smaller room wins massively. But that may be due to other factors - old room - suspended floors, partial glass behind speakers, solid concrete walls. New room, solid concrete floor, no glass, insulation damped plasterboard.

But boy, do the Ascents fill the room with sound in this one - throwing a long a 28 foot lounge didn't seem to do the Ascent any favours, really.

What I will say is space to the sides of the speakers is what will give the CLX far more room to breath - and you cannot give them that. And really, you would need to be further away from them.

Personally, I'd go Spire in that space. It's less imposing and has a smaller footprint than an Ascent. And it'll beat a Vantage by some margin due to it's larger panel and better bass unit.

 

[twich54]

The room is not a small room but rather average size (to me anyway).

avg size for a pair of bookshelf speakers...yes, but for a pair of CLX's..it's small ! Think about ...with the CLX's 4' off the front wall (and that's a min, 5-6' would be better) that leaves 10 feet to the rear wall, you don't want to be seated against the rear wall, rather approx two thirds of the way back is more acceptable. Besides buying CLX's for nearfield listening is nuts...again, IMO !

I presently sit about 11' away from my Quests which are 3' from the side walls and 4' from the front wall. The room is 13X20.

Robert, that extra 6' that you have is HUGE !

 

[robertawillisjr]

Well now that I have my glasses on, I have to recant. I was seeing 12X24. Yep 12X14 is rather small. Sorry guys, too many things on the mind.

 

[tonepub]

Guys, thanks for chiming in. Here's a few more questions: What is meant by "nearfield listening"? Can't the boomy bass be dealt with room treatments, or are you referring to something else? Also, at $6K, it sounds like the Vantage is a world class speaker. Surely, though the CLX at 4X the price will be better, or will it? Any other speaker brand suggestions? All electronics are pretty much world class, and I am not concerned about money, except I don't want to throw it away. Thanks.

In a bigger room with world class gear, yes the CLX can deliver more. Some of that is in the area of dynamics too, which you run up against a limitation in a smaller room. As you turn your system up you start to overdrive the room and get compression.

Seriously, I'd look for someone who's just traded up to summits or spires and score a nice pair of used Vantages. That leaves you more $$ for some room treatment and better gear. (maybe even some more music!) Most speakers are going to be able to play way louder than you need to in a room that size.

 

[Bernard]

All electronics are pretty much world class, and I am not concerned about money, except I don't want to throw it away. Thanks.

As money seems to be no object it's a shame that you can't get a larger room.

 

[gregadd]

Live music is loud!

Since my next door neighbor plays bass, and at my previous apartment my downstairs neighbor played keyboards. I get to hear live music all the time. What you want is big sound not necessarily big speakers. Panels by their nature have to be big. I know this may be blasphemy but maybe a panel speaker is not for you. Maybe you should be looking at dynamic speakers. Or possibly a used CLS with a pair of subs.

If you have your heart set on the CLX go ahead. Stats show Americans stay in their house for about five years. You could buy your CLX now and then get a house to suit them.
Just a thought.

 

[amey01]

As money seems to be no object it's a shame that you can't get a larger room.

Good point. Why is spending money on electronics okay, but spending money on the room seen as not? The room is a component of your system just like electronics.

So........if money is not a concern, go buy yourself a bigger house (or build a bigger room) first.

 

[Irishtom]

I know this may be blasphemy but maybe a panel speaker is not for you. Maybe you should be looking at dynamic speakers. Or possibly a used CLS with a pair of subs.

There are dynamic panel speakers, Maggies come to mind. Also B&G, Hi-Vi, Eminent Technology, certain Infinitys and such.

I don't see why a large full range di-pole would act much differently than a small one. Is the argument being made that a smaller ML would work better in a small room because they're hybrids with monopolar bass?

IME&O the dispersion of a speaker, not it's size, determines how well it works in a given room. And the lower a speaker's distortion the better it sounds in any room given that the dispersion is suitable.

 

[gregadd]

dynamic=moving coils or cone

"...dynamic panel speakers..."
Irishstotm
By dynamic I meant cone. Yes there are some loud dipoles which you have named. Very good ones in fact. Some of those models however pose the same problems as the CLX for a small room.

 

[Kenscollick]

This is my one week anniversary with my CLX's and I am wishing for a larger room not that they wouldnt sound great in your room probably better than a lower end ML it would be impossible to get the best out of them. My good friend CAP has CLS's in a similar sized room as yours and he has acheived excellent results. As long as you recoganize your self imposed limitations and understand they will not be up to their potential why not go for it, there certainally is magic in a full range ES speaker. If you have the time and money why not the very best.

 

[FISH_MAN]

I think the room is most often the most expensive part of a sound system

 

[twich54]

As money seems to be no object it's a shame that you can't get a larger room.

best rebuttal so far ! I concur Bernard !

 

[JMAUSGP]

If you heart is set on CLXs, there is one advantage to a small room.

Regardless of the room size there is usually, ok always, a need for room treatments.

However with a smaller size room it takes less square feet of room treatments even though you would need to do alot of room treatments.

If you are only talking 2 channel, then I believe it is doable so just plan to get serious room treatments all around.

Do some more research on past threads here at MLOC and consult with the experts that you have here at your disposal.

Some believe you can't have too many room treatments. Some believe you can never be too rich, too thin or have too many CLXs, I can assure you it is fun to try and figure out which is fact and which is wishful thinking......but basically yeah go for the CLXs it will still give the 'Sound of the Thrill'.