How to Achieve Audiophile-Grade Sound in a Small Space

No Room for Towering Speakers? Let’s Find a Work-Around.  

Not everyone has room for gigantic floorstanding speakers, a large subwoofer, and all the audio equipment that goes into an audiophile-quality system. If you live in an apartment, condo, or house with modest square footage, what’s an audio enthusiast to do? 

Urban dwellers face two common issues when building a Hi-Fi setup: 1. They don’t have room for all the equipment they want. 2. They don’t want to get passive-aggressive complaints from their downstairs or next-door neighbor. 

But that doesn’t mean you’re stuck listening to music on your Amazon Echo forever. Here’s what our audio experts at Atlanta’s HiFi Buys recommend for smaller spaces. 

Issue 1: I Don’t Have Space for Floorstanding Speakers 

We get it. Space is tight, and you don’t think you have room for an amplifier, pre-amp, turntable/DAC, and two towers standing on either side. In this case, bookshelf speakers can save you a lot of room. They can sit atop your media/home theater cabinet with the rest of your equipment tucked below. In some cases, they can even be mounted on the wall. 

Here’s the thing, though—to hear the musical details you desire, you’ll need large enough drivers to reach all necessary frequencies. The most powerful bookshelf speakers feature 6.5-inch woofers/mid-bass drivers, which is excellent in a small space. So don’t go any smaller than bookshelf—not satellite speakers, not desktop speakers, and definitely not a soundbar. 

Naturally, smaller speakers may lack the low bass frequencies you desire. To fill in the low end, you can add a small, compact subwoofer, which do exist. Acoustically, subwoofers work best on the floor near a corner (but not directly against the wall). Not sure if you have room or how to arrange it? We can help evaluate your space and design a setup that will work to achieve your goals. 

Issue 2: I Have Neighbors & Need to Keep the Volume Low

If you live in a condo or apartment with downstairs neighbors, or if you share a wall, you might not want to bump the bass too loud. But if the volume is too low, does that defeat the purpose of a Hi-Fi system? 

If privacy is all you lack, and not space, we advise going a little bigger here. You’ll want larger, more powerful speakers to push more air at low volume levels, so you can still enjoy rich audio with the sound turned down. If not, opt for the most powerful bookshelf speakers that fit your budget. 

We advise arranging your speakers in a ‘nearfield position,’ which means speakers stand one to two meters away from your listening location. That may seem close in a home theater, but it will allow you to listen comfortably at a lower volume level. 

Soundproofing can be an involved process, but it’s likely worth it. You’ll be free to enjoy music and movies at an easy-listening volume without bothering the neighbors. 

Issue 3: Sound Is Overpowering the Space 

Small rooms can experience easy reflections and a buildup of ‘standing’ low-frequency sound waves. In other words? Bass sounds way too big in there! If there’s a crowded or echoey sound in your room, you need acoustic treatments to balance audio. 

By placing acoustic panels on walls and ceilings, we can absorb sound, reduce reflections, and scatter sound waves for a clear, balanced listening experience. Furniture, rugs, and even bookshelves and plants can help with room acoustics. So, although you’re a little tight on space, don’t clear everything out. Leave some furnishings in to help with acoustics! 

Let HiFi Buys Help 

Live in or near Atlanta? Stop by HiFi Buys to try out our floorstanding and bookshelf speakers, subwoofers, and ask for our advice on small-sized Hi-Fi setups. Feel in over your head? There’s no pressure. Even if you’re an absolute beginner and unsure what you’re looking for, our down-to-earth team is just happy to share the magic of Hi-Fi audio with you. 

Check out our hours and visit us in Atlanta today!