Looking For The Perfect Listening Chair

[PeterA]

Any chance you could share info on this sofa?

there is information on my old system thread but I don’t know where it is. I’ll try to find it and post a picture.

 

[tony22]

Thank you!

 

[tony22]

Well, I went to my local Crate & Barrel and looked at what they call their “Chair and a Half”, as pointed out earlier by @ACHiPo. I sat in it and had that same old feeling for practically every couch or loveseat I’d sat in over the recent years - like falling back into a marshmallow. Didn’t like it one bit. The salesperson then said “here, come try this one”. It was the same model, but built as a sleeper. My wife and I sat in it and immediately said “this feels right”. No sag, no falling into the back of the sofa like getting sucked into a black hole, nice firm straight seating arrangement, but comfortable. It felt like it would keep me from dropping my ear height, while still being very comfortable (for not being an Ekornes ). We started looking at fabrics and eventually found the one where we both said “this will look great in the house!”. So I ordered it. Behold, the Axis Twin Ultra Memory Foam Sleeper Sofa -



It’s the perfect size for the room, the pull out sleeper mattress feels great, and my wife and I can listen together, or I can listen on my own without the annoyance of separate seat pillows. I’ll report in 6-7 months when I get it.

And oh, the light blue color will set off the Volcano Orange color of my Von Schweikerts! @Damon Von Schweikert recommended colors in this range to contrast against my speakers. Thanks Damon!

 

[PeterA]

there is information on my old system thread but I don’t know where it is. I’ll try to find it and post a picture.

Tony, here are two photos of my new sofa. I don't remember the brand name. The important thing for me was the one piece seat cushion and the overall length of about 71". It's a small room, so this works well.

 

[tony22]

Thank you, @PeterA Nice looking couch! I sprung for something a little different as you can see above. I hope it gives me many years of listening pleasure.

 

[tony22]

Well, I went to my local Crate & Barrel and looked at what they call their “Chair and a Half”, as pointed out earlier by @ACHiPo. I sat in it and had that same old feeling for practically every couch or loveseat I’d sat in over the recent years - like falling back into a marshmallow. Didn’t like it one bit. The salesperson then said “here, come try this one”. It was the same model, but built as a sleeper. My wife and I sat in it and immediately said “this feels right”. No sag, no falling into the back of the sofa like getting sucked into a black hole, nice firm straight seating arrangement, but comfortable. It felt like it would keep me from dropping my ear height, while still being very comfortable (for not being an Ekornes ). We started looking at fabrics and eventually found the one where we both said “this will look great in the house!”. So I ordered it. Behold, the Axis Twin Ultra Memory Foam Sleeper Sofa -

I came upon a small problem. While waiting for the above, I’ve started putting my system together - even if in a preliminary way. So now I’m standing here thinking “how am I supposed to listen to music”. I was going around to furniture store, looking for a bedroom set, when I came upon this Spagnesi chair at an outlet location for one of the places I looked at. I’m not entirely certain, but I think they are/were related to Natuzzi in some way. I sat in this chair



and it felt like I was sitting in butter - in a very good way! Italian made, full grain leather, solid wood frame with corner blocking, great support. I knew it would make for a comfortable chair even after the Crate & Barrel arrives, so I made them an offer (it had some very minor scuffs in the back). Got it for about 20% of its claimed normal retail price. Good enough for me!

In my other non audio furniture shopping, I happened upon a store that carries almost the entire Stressless line. Much as I do like sitting in some of them, I really don’t want a listening chair where there is something behind my ears. So Stressless is out for me. I did try their low back models like the Tokyo, but those are nothing like a “real” Stressless like an Admiral. So I have a chair now, and hopefully in time a larger one.

 

[Ron Resnick]

I personally, think that the back of the seat should be nowhere near the listener's ears.

The Ekornes Consul in small offers the lowest seat back height of any of the traditional Stressless reclining chairs.






I think the back of this seat is too close to my ears. I don't want sound reflecting off the leather of the seat and up to my ears.

What do you think?

 

[PeterA]

I personally, think that the back of the seat should be nowhere near the listener's ears.

The Ekornes Consul in small offers the lowest seat back height of any of the traditional Stressless reclining chairs.



View attachment 84773


I think the back of this seat is too close to my ears. I don't want sound reflecting off the leather of the seat and up to my ears.

What do you think?

Ron, that is too high in my opinion. Hard to know about the sonic effect without actually listening to music with this chair versus other options. I prefer the back of the listening seat or sofa to be below the shoulders.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Ron, that is too high in my opinion. Hard to know about the sonic effect without actually listening to music with this chair versus other options. I prefer the back of the listening seat or sofa to be below the shoulders.

I agree Peter. As much as I try the traditional Ekornes Stressless just does not work for me. I have owned three of these chairs and a Stressless sofa for many years, but it just does not work for me as a listening room chair.

Interestingly, Michael Fremer uses this exact chair, and I think he's a bit shorter than I am.

 

[Tango]

I agree Peter. As much as I try the traditional Ekornes Stressless just does not work for me. I have owned three of these chairs and a Stressless sofa for many years, but it just does not work for me as a listening room chair.

Interestingly, Michael Fremer uses this exact chair, and I think he's a bit shorter than I am.

Dear Ron,

Your system is going to sound great regardless the back rest reaches the back of your neck or not. There will be occasions when you enjoy your beautiful sound while you naturally relax yourself laying back your head to the back rest. You will get the sound that system so out of the way you don't care how you sit it is not going to ruin the sound.

 

[Hi-FiGuy]

I personally, think that the back of the seat should be nowhere near the listener's ears.

The Ekornes Consul in small offers the lowest seat back height of any of the traditional Stressless reclining chairs.



View attachment 84773


I think the back of this seat is too close to my ears. I don't want sound reflecting off the leather of the seat and up to my ears.

What do you think?

with your ears pulled that far forward why are you worrying about a high back chair

 

[Ron Resnick]

Dear Ron,

Your system is going to sound great regardless the back rest reaches the back of your neck or not. There will be occasions when you enjoy your beautiful sound while you naturally relax yourself laying back your head to the back rest. You will get the sound that system so out of the way you don't care how you sit it is not going to ruin the sound.

Dear Tang,

Thank you very much for your thoughts!

Kindest regards,

Ron

 

[Ron Resnick]

with your ears pulled that far forward why are you worrying about a high back chair

The traditional Ekornes Stressless recliner that I like, which now has a very nice powered leg extension/footrest feature, comes only with a high seat back.

 

[bonzo75]

I personally, think that the back of the seat should be nowhere near the listener's ears.

The Ekornes Consul in small offers the lowest seat back height of any of the traditional Stressless reclining chairs.



View attachment 84773


I think the back of this seat is too close to my ears. I don't want sound reflecting off the leather of the seat and up to my ears.

What do you think?

To avoid the reflections add some small pieces of GIK absorbers on the sofa there behind the ears

 

[Ron Resnick]

I was thinking of that! Or small sections of RPG wood diffusers.

 

[howiebrou]

Dear Ron,

Your system is going to sound great regardless the back rest reaches the back of your neck or not. There will be occasions when you enjoy your beautiful sound while you naturally relax yourself laying back your head to the back rest. You will get the sound that system so out of the way you don't care how you sit it is not going to ruin the sound.

What about, if like me, you don't actually have a neck?

 

[Folsom]

Extreme delusional paranoia.

If it sounds better without something highly absorptive behind your head, like literally any chair that is not straight wood, then reflective energy is what you’re appreciating; diffused or not.

That photo looks fine for what you want. The sound won’t be stopped by that and anything reflective at an appreciable level is probably well out human hearing range.

 

[sbo6]

My newest and probably last (for a while). I love this chair. So comfortable. My Frankenstein chair relegated to the backup position..

 

[sbo6]

I personally, think that the back of the seat should be nowhere near the listener's ears.

The Ekornes Consul in small offers the lowest seat back height of any of the traditional Stressless reclining chairs.



View attachment 84773


I think the back of this seat is too close to my ears. I don't want sound reflecting off the leather of the seat and up to my ears.

What do you think?

I agree. A low back is what you're looking for as reflections will smear the image and will affect sonic quality.

 

[sbo6]

I came upon a small problem. While waiting for the above, I’ve started putting my system together - even if in a preliminary way. So now I’m standing here thinking “how am I supposed to listen to music”. I was going around to furniture store, looking for a bedroom set, when I came upon this Spagnesi chair at an outlet location for one of the places I looked at. I’m not entirely certain, but I think they are/were related to Natuzzi in some way. I sat in this chair

View attachment 79492

and it felt like I was sitting in butter - in a very good way! Italian made, full grain leather, solid wood frame with corner blocking, great support. I knew it would make for a comfortable chair even after the Crate & Barrel arrives, so I made them an offer (it had some very minor scuffs in the back). Got it for about 20% of its claimed normal retail price. Good enough for me!

In my other non audio furniture shopping, I happened upon a store that carries almost the entire Stressless line. Much as I do like sitting in some of them, I really don’t want a listening chair where there is something behind my ears. So Stressless is out for me. I did try their low back models like the Tokyo, but those are nothing like a “real” Stressless like an Admiral. So I have a chair now, and hopefully in time a larger one.

Beautiful chair, congrats!