Conversational Grouping

This is not a furniture post.

Talking with old friends last night, I wondered what the ideal conversational group size is.

Don't. Please don't get going on how there are different ideal sizes for different types of discussion. Of course lovers' conversations are between two people, which would be a silly number for a yearly festival. Of course people prefer different group sizes depending on their personalities. I am asking what you prefer - what have been your best conversational groupings and why.

Mine: 4-7 people who are themselves a subgroup of a group of 8-15. They are similar but not identical in outlook and belief. They have some history. If the group reaches 8 in size it naturally breaks in smaller conversational clusters.

Interestingly, this not only describes my group last night, but the Inklings as well.