Looking For The Perfect Listening Chair

[Steve Williams]

I will never return to listen as far back as I had for decades

 

[PeterA]

I will never return to listen as far back as I had for decades

Though it’s a little bit off topic, I will say where are you located the ideal listening seat, whether it’s leather or fabric or a single chair or sofa, is critical to optimizing the sound in one’s room.

This was the very first thing that Jim Smith did when he came to my room, that is locate the listening seat.

 

[Ron Resnick]

The Ekornes Stressless chair remains the single most comfortable thing I have ever sat in. Until a couple of weeks ago I had three of them, but all of these had seat-backs too high for audio listening use.

Based on the dimensions specifications of the models at the back of the Ekornes catalog I think the Consul model in small or the Admiral in medium with Classic base might be the Stressless recliners with the shortest seat-back height.

It took some time to deduce why I find the Stressless chair so orthopedically comfortable. I was able to replicate almost exactly the comfort sensation of the Ekorness on the mid-back height Lifeform chair I intend to buy for the listening room.

 

[howiebrou]

To me the most comfortable chair is a Chesterfield sofa with buttoned seats, not cushions. Nice and firm, straight back. High armrests to rest your arms and look great. No soft squishy chairs for me please.

 

[Genkifd]

thats my new lounge chair

 

[Tango]

To me the most comfortable chair is a Chesterfield sofa with buttoned seats, not cushions. Nice and firm, straight back. High armrests to rest your arms and look great. No soft squishy chairs for me please.
View attachment 72062

Yeah. Those buttons collect all the chips and Doritos you munch Howie.

 

[howiebrou]

Yeah. Those buttons collect all the chips and Doritos you munch Howie.

You mean these?

 

[miniguy]

Has anyone tried the Stressless Tokyo low back?

 

[Ron Resnick]

Has anyone tried the Stressless Tokyo low back?
View attachment 72125

Yes; I played with it for some time while I was trying to ascertain whether it is as comfortable for me as the traditional Stressless recliner. Ekornes makes three models of this low-back chair, but the differences are pretty subtle and stylistic, and not mechanical.

 

[miniguy]

Yes; I played with it for some time while I was trying to ascertain whether it is as comfortable for me as the traditional Stressless recliner. Ekornes makes three models of this low-back chair, but the differences are pretty subtle and stylistic, and not mechanical.

So are you saying that the sonic difference compared to the more traditional higher back Stressless was not significant?

 

[Ron Resnick]

So are you saying that the sonic difference compared to the more traditional higher back Stressless was not significant?

No, not in the slightest. I am not saying anything about any sonic anything.

I think it is axiomatic that there should be no seatback higher than our shoulders.

 

[Elliot G.]

No, not in the slightest. I am not saying anything about any sonic anything.

I think it is axiomatic that there should be no seatback higher than our shoulders.

I totally agree and I feel it should not recline either. You want to position the chair in the right spot and it should not roll, move or recline IMO

 

[tony22]

I must ask those in the U.S. - where do we find these exotic chairs for a test sit-down? I have a Relax the Back nearby, but they have a limited selection compared to what I’ve seen here.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Relax the Back has the mid-height Lifeform chair I have selected for my listening chair. (I do not object to chairs that recline.)

 

[audioquest4life]

I purchased this relax sessel from a German furniture store years ago when I was living in Germany. I find that it is just about perfect in size, seat width is 21.5”, seat height is 18”, arm rest width is 30.5”, arm rest height is 20.75”, back rest height is 28”, overall height from floor to back of head rest is 39.5”, overall depth about 29”, add a few more when reclined. I am 185, broad shouldered and just shy of 5’9”.

My ears are about flush with the headrest when sitting upright. It can lean back and it also swivels. But, I hardly care about that. It was my main listening chair until I built a dual purpose listening studio and home theater. Now, it’s serves as an overflow chair for game room activities and excessive libations.

I can’t find this brand anymore. It’s called a SINTUVA. The only thing I found was a factory in Italy. So for now, it’s a mystery chair but one that I would like to add a few more back to the studio and ditch the theater chairs which are way too big and bulky and eat into my audio listening bliss real estate. It was bought at either Mobel Martin or Mobel Fundgrube, not sure anymore.

This is the style and size I am looking for, and yes, you can fall asleep while listening to music, a true trait of a relax sessel, LOL.

 

[Ron Resnick]

It reminds me a lot of Ekornes Stressless recliners.

 

[audioquest4life]

@Ron.

Yes. I agree. I am looking at various versions of the Ekornes...they all need to be lower than 100CM/39inches to be really practical for my audio listening purposes, and that of my guests. However, in a previous post it was mentioned that the standard folding chair served a satisfying purpose for some. Not for me and not for my bad back. Time to drill down deeper into the Ekorne chairs. Definitely not going to get the Tokyo Metro, haha.

 

[Ron Resnick]

Based on the dimensions specifications of the models at the back of the Ekornes catalog I think the Consul model in small or the Admiral in medium with Classic base might be the Stressless recliners with the shortest seat-back height.

 

[audioquest4life]

Ron,

Thank you. I will research those options.

 

[audioquest4life]

Ron,

I have an appointment with the Stressless dealer this Saturday.