"Bookshelf Speaker"

[butch4695]

Just curious . Where did the term "Bookshelf Speaker" come from ? Does it not relate to a group of speakers designed to be placed on a bookshelf ? I always thought that it did and the speakers in that group were designed to be placed on a bookshelf . Just curious .

 

[Option5]

I've always figured it as any speaker not explicitly designed to stand on the floor. Which I guess would encompass your definition.

 

[JonVH]

Not sure, but 'most' bookshelf speakers are small enough to fit on a stand and move around without getting a hernia. I guess they needed to separate floor standers from smaller ones? Its a guess.

 

[CUlater]

Believe it arose with the advent of the air suspension speaker, which had a radically reduced cabinet size compared to the behemoth horn-loaded or infinite baffle designs that preceded it. 'Bookshelf' was a market differentiator - for the first time you could get quality sound from a speaker that you could put on a... bookshelf. Made a nice tagline for consumers to shop for.

 

[DLariv308]

As others have already stated. I think of it as a compact speaker that needs the aid bookshelf, table or stand to get it at ear level. I have Klipsch RB-81's and they a re 19"h x 9"W x 12"D and weigh close to 30 lbs each. Not exactly large but not really small enough for a bookshelf.

 

[butch4695]

Believe it arose with the advent of the air suspension speaker, which had a radically reduced cabinet size compared to the behemoth horn-loaded or infinite baffle designs that preceded it. 'Bookshelf' was a market differentiator - for the first time you could get quality sound from a speaker that you could put on a... bookshelf. Made a nice tagline for consumers to shop for.

Exactly , I always thought that a lot of speakers followed that design . .

 

[KeninDC]

IIRC, KLH 5 speakers were considered "bookshelf" at the time they were sold. KLH 5 speakers are big.

Probably more a marketing term than anything. These days, I use it to refer to smaller speakers.