Listening near field

[Idlewithnodrive]

I’m a big fan of near-field listening and have always had my systems set up that way. In fact, there are larger rooms in my house that I could put my system in but I specifically seek out that near field experience.

Amen brother. The only way to listen.

[Pharos]

There are definite benefits to near field, but what can you do in a big room with big speakers - they virtually have to go against a boundary or they're in the way?

[Lawrence001]

There are definite benefits to near field, but what can you do in a big room with big speakers - they virtually have to go against a boundary or they're in the way?

Isn't it even worse in a small room?

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

[paulf-2007]

Isn't it even worse in a small room?

Sent from my BLN-L21 using Tapatalk

I was thinking the same.

[paulf-2007]

Near field set ups sound better in larger rooms though...

.....than nearfield in a small room or not nearfield in a large room. My tiny room only gives me the option of nearfield.

[Macca]

.....than nearfield in a small room or not nearfield in a large room. My tiny room only gives me the option of nearfield.

I've had nearfield in small rooms and nearfield in large rooms and nearfield in a large room is better, although obviously it is completely subjective. Some people like to have the sound bouncing around them and some don't notice it at all.


Nearfield in the large rooms was dictated by the fact that at the time I only had tiny little speakers that sounded lost if I was listening more than 6 foot from them.

[Pigmy Pony]

.....than nearfield in a small room or not nearfield in a large room. My tiny room only gives me the option of nearfield.

Paul, your signature has to be the worst classified advert ever! So you're no longer a Zu keeper?

[bumpy]

This is what near field means to me.
My head is 5ft from the front face of these babies.

[Pharos]

The fields were defined (I think), by Newell and Holland as ;

Near; direct sound energy greater than reflected, Mid, direct and reflected equal, and, Far, indirect sound greater than direct.

This may only be a rule of thumb rather than something mathematically defined.

Alan Shaw says that the only real test of a speaker is near field listening.

Big speakers in a small room seem to me to be a situation which will result in more pressure loading.

[bumpy]

I wouldn't disagree with those definitions. My system is in a large room, but driven into retreat by the need for a dining area.

Interesting about pressurising the room which is what I was referring to in post #13