Next upgrade...Eames style lounge chair?

[Ron Scubadiver]

I love Eames designs and all of the classic Hermann Miller mid century pieces.  I have several in the house, mostly made in 1950.

[cellison]

I also have an original Eames Lounge with the Ottoman and spend way too much time in it listening to music and working on my laptop. I have a stand up desk with a large external monitor right beside me but I can't resist sitting in the "sweet spot" in the Eames and working on my laptop screen. I'll gladly sacrifice screen real estate for comfort and sound quality. It's by far the most comfortable chair I've ever sat in. As mentioned the back doesn't go up behind your head but that's not a problem for me… years of sitting in it has made my neck muscles strong It's not that low. My LS50's are right at ear height when I'm not slouching in the chair.

 

I wouldn't trade it for anything.

[Ralf11]

https://moddaydesigns.com/product/eames-lounge-chair-ottoman-reproduction/

[mrvco]

I was watching Craigslist for a used Eames chair for a while and an AirBnB that we stayed at near Santa Fe had one, but I didn't find it as comfortable as I would have expected.

 

I did find an Ikea Poang swivel chair with the cloth cover (not leather) at the local Habitat for Humanity resale store for $15 (in perfect condition even).  I bought the matching ottoman at Ikea and ordered a set of sheepskin armrest covers.  I was expecting this to simply tide me over until I found something else, but as it turns out, the Paong makes a great listening / reading chair.

 

e.g.

[TubeLover]

7 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

what if you called a Costco store manager and asked if there was a way to test sit the chair, locally or at a regional center?

 

 

I did that very thing today. Unfortunately, the online only merchandise never sees a store. I did find out, though, that if I order it from Costco online, and, after receiving it,  am not happy, I can return it for a full refund to my local store. Thats encouraging, and I may go that route.

 

JC

[TubeLover]

3 hours ago, gmgraves said:

I think that would be a perfect listening chair. Go for it!

Given the Costco return policy of ordering from them online, and letting me take it back to my local store for a full refund if I'm not happy, I think I may just order one!

 

Thanks very much to everyone for their input. Much appreciated. May you all sit in comfort! 

 

JC

[PeterG]

10 hours ago, Ralf11 said:

https://moddaydesigns.com/product/eames-lounge-chair-ottoman-reproduction/

 

As noted above, I love my original Eames, and I normally bristle at knock-offs.  But that's a gorgeous chair in the photo, indistinguishable from a distance, it's 1/10 of the price of the 50-y.o. design, and it's returnable from what appears to be a decent company.  If my budget was $800, I'd grab it.  Cheers!

[rando]

@TubeLover I think in your situation it might be worth investing some time looking outside the new at retail environment.  The classic example of what I refer to is an upscale retirement home remodeling their intake office.  Very nice very comfortable furniture that maybe got sat in a dozen times in as many years.  Everyone who comes in still sees the place furniture that nice served in their own homes as something to be looked at and never used.  One might also try poking around on 1st Dibs or Craigslist like mrvco.  Something from the Baker Stately Homes collection looks like it would be a good target for you.

 

Everyone is different.  At least a few people earlier in the thread thought their Eames was a poor choice.  

[Priaptor]

16 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

Oooh, now THAT’s a real cocoon!  

Bet you’ll be able to curl up for hours in that one.   Howard, right?

One of the most exciting purchases of my audiophile life. I have tried and been disappointed by too many chairs.  When I listen to my main system I listen "seriously" and don't recline, don't want no stinkin headrests and want support for my back and comfortable position for my arms.  Right now the best I could find was a "McIntosh directors" chair which is uncomfortable as hell.  It is pretty funny actually when people come to my room to listen and see this uncomfortable piece of crap that McIntosh gives away to dealers.

 

I happened across this chair on some site that some guy is using for his sound room.  As soon as I saw the chair, it was "enlightenment" and I quickly searched it down.  It turns out to be made by the same company that makes the leather for Ferrari and the person whose picture I saw, actually sent me a message telling me how much he loved the chair and his going on 8+ years.

 

In any case, the seat height is "perfect" at 17", the back is curved and it is at 26" and the location for your arms in the back of the chair is 31" sloping down to 26".  They sell it as either stationary or swivel, of course I went the stationary, as, IMHO, no legitimate listening chair should be a swivel or have a headrest. 

 

 

[rando]

The first photo you posted was a bit one dimensional.  One mans back ache being another's bliss, it looked like the former to me.   Almost as if the back narrowed considerably to create a pocket of air along your spine after sinking into what assuredly was very nice padding.  It took on a whole new dimension after seeing this photo.

 

[Priaptor]

13 minutes ago, rando said:

The first photo you posted was a bit one dimensional.  One mans back ache being another's bliss, it looked like the former to me.   Almost as if the back narrowed considerably to create a pocket of air along your spine after sinking into what assuredly was very nice padding.  It took on a whole new dimension after seeing this photo.

 

Yeah sorry about that.  I lost the picture of the guy in the chair in his listening room.  He swears by it and is "never going back" to anything else.  

 

I have two philosophies when I listen. 

 

One is "seriously" in my main system, where I want to be at the right height, my ears properly positioned and I don't want the chair interfering with the music as the room is enough to deal with.

 

Second, is WHEN I want to just mellow out I listen in a recliner, etc I just listen to my MojoPoly, in a recliner.

 

I am not here to say this is right and that is wrong just saying what is right for me when I want to listen seriously to my main system, I have so much money and time invested in it I want to listen to it at it's best

[Ralf11]

I will admit to using a recliner.  Worse, it has a headrest.  I suspect my "ear" is trained to "listen around" some of that freq. response deviation.

 

My goal is musical enjoyment, and not to try and listen for tiny differences.

 

another idea is to go to a Relax the Back store...

[TubeLover]

14 hours ago, Priaptor said:

One of the most exciting purchases of my audiophile life. I have tried and been disappointed by too many chairs.  When I listen to my main system I listen "seriously" and don't recline, don't want no stinkin headrests and want support for my back and comfortable position for my arms.  Right now the best I could find was a "McIntosh directors" chair which is uncomfortable as hell.  It is pretty funny actually when people come to my room to listen and see this uncomfortable piece of crap that McIntosh gives away to dealers.

 

I happened across this chair on some site that some guy is using for his sound room.  As soon as I saw the chair, it was "enlightenment" and I quickly searched it down.  It turns out to be made by the same company that makes the leather for Ferrari and the person whose picture I saw, actually sent me a message telling me how much he loved the chair and his going on 8+ years.

 

In any case, the seat height is "perfect" at 17", the back is curved and it is at 26" and the location for your arms in the back of the chair is 31" sloping down to 26".  They sell it as either stationary or swivel, of course I went the stationary, as, IMHO, no legitimate listening chair should be a swivel or have a headrest. 

 

 

Looks like an exceptional chair. I'm guessing damned expensive too? Brand and price?

 

JC

[GUTB]

BTW I’ve also recently learned the hard way that not only does the headrest mess with the sound so do the armrests!

 

This is annoying. I have to figure this out.

[TubeLover]

Ah, located it:

Poltrona Frau WILLY Armchair

• Design by Guglielmo Ulrich
• A bit over $4k, but I expect the quality is superb!

JC

[TubeLover]

2 minutes ago, GUTB said:

BTW I’ve also recently learned the hard way that not only does the headrest mess with the sound so do the armrests!

 

This is annoying. I have to figure this out.

Unless the armrests are really high I wouldn't think this would be a problem?

 

JC

[Ralf11]

27 minutes ago, GUTB said:

BTW I’ve also recently learned the hard way that not only does the headrest mess with the sound so do the armrests!

 

This is annoying. I have to figure this out.

 

set a mirror on each armrest and put a small video camera in each ear; tilt the armrests until you can see an image of each speaker in the appropriate mirror

 

then just put some diffusers on the armrests and yer done

[Priaptor]

9 hours ago, TubeLover said:

Looks like an exceptional chair. I'm guessing damned expensive too? Brand and price?

 

JC

Potrona Frau an Italian company that makes the leather for Ferrari and yes expensive at 5K,  However, if you saw how my home is "furnished" it is with real crap downstairs because of my dogs who have literally made all my furniture theirs so my "rationalization" of spending so much is that I spend so little downstairs.  At least it makes the rationalization makes it easier for me to spend the $$$ on a listening chair.  

[Priaptor]

9 hours ago, TubeLover said:

Ah, located it:

Poltrona Frau WILLY Armchair

• Design by Guglielmo Ulrich
• A bit over $4k, but I expect the quality is superb!

JC

here isn the states they get you for import fees, etc and delivery so it is 5k

[TubeLover]

14 hours ago, Priaptor said:

Potrona Frau an Italian company that makes the leather for Ferrari and yes expensive at 5K,  However, if you saw how my home is "furnished" it is with real crap downstairs because of my dogs who have literally made all my furniture theirs so my "rationalization" of spending so much is that I spend so little downstairs.  At least it makes the rationalization makes it easier for me to spend the $$$ on a listening chair.  

I certainly wasn't judging, I applaud people that can afford this kind of superb quality in anything. And you clearly deserve something like this in your listening room given that the dogs have sullied everything else. Congrats.

 

JC

[Priaptor]

9 hours ago, TubeLover said:

I certainly wasn't judging, I applaud people that can afford this kind of superb quality in anything. And you clearly deserve something like this in your listening room given that the dogs have sullied everything else. Congrats.

 

JC

JC,

 

I didn't take your comments as a "judge" trust me.  No problem.  I was just doing some self-flagellating for spending so much on a chair.  

[TubeLover]

14 hours ago, Priaptor said:

JC,

 

I didn't take your comments as a "judge" trust me.  No problem.  I was just doing some self-flagellating for spending so much on a chair.  

No worries. I applaud that you were able to acquire such a beautiful piece of chair art. And honestly, life is too short for bad chairs! One does what one must. 

 

JC

[Superdad]

On 4/16/2018 at 6:50 AM, Priaptor said:

I was just doing some self-flagellating for spending so much on a chair.  

 

That’s the sort of thing you ought to do in private sir!  

[Bones13]

Ekornes for me too. We have an Eames repro. Too low for me. I also judge chairs for nap-worthiness.

[rando]

7 hours ago, Superdad said:

 

That’s the sort of thing you ought to do in private sir!  

 

GIS is an amazing tool.  I did a search for "Baroque Torture Chair" and you'd be surprised how many paid advertising results for easy chairs it suggested.