Why bookshelf rather than floor-standers??
- Thread starter Bigmoonface
- Start date
stish
Well-Known Member
I used floor standing speakers for many years, Polk SDA/SRS3.1, Thiel 3.5, Goldman Metaspeaker. All were good but I didn't really have enough space to do them justice. Upon the most recent move to a room that is 13X10, I decided to change to bookshelves. However the "stands" are a pair of sealed SVS subs with an isolation block between the sub and the Focal. Once everything was dialed in, it provides the best sound stage I've had.
It isn't always about the scale of reproduction. Small speakers may lack a sense of scale (though not always) but can be more accurate, more detailed, more refined etc. Speaker cones stop behaving like rigid pistons and start to break up at high frequencies. Small cones can go higher before encountering break-up, so reproduce mid frequencies better than large speakers.
Condorsat
Audio Enthusiast
Set up some bookshelf speakers in mid 2015 as an audio project to integrate with a subwoofer purchase. Put the floor standers in the closet where they have been since. Own three pair (bookshelves) so far .. two that I swap out every 6+ months or so. Will probably add another pair at end of this year.
Bookshelves are easier to store (when not in use) and easier to move around. They just take up less space.
Bookshelves are easier to store (when not in use) and easier to move around. They just take up less space.
twitch54
Super Member
Wayner, a true statement for sure ! One that immediately comes to mind ......... Harbeth.
RunOutGroove
Addicted Member
Personally, I wouldn't like the layout of my living room with column type speakers that I'd likely want to be placing a ways from the wall. I have my little Elac bookshelf speakers on top of a row of record cabinets that I have against the wall that my stereo system (and TV) faces away from. Tower speakers would mean that I'd have these big things in front of my record cabinets so they'd really be in the way. Of course I could totally rearrange the room so that the record cabinets aren't along the same wall as the stereo system but I've thought about that and I don't really like any of the options for that. Basically, I put a premium on the room layout over my audio gear. I don't feel like I'm making too much of a sacrifice though because what I have sounds very good and I know that if I spent enough money I could probably get even better speakers that would still fit up on the cabinets where I like to place them.
The fact that there are some bookshelf speakers that sound really great (maybe more now with current designs than ever before) and that one can use a subwoofer (which I have) to make up for some of the diminished bass that small speakers have mean that we don't have to feel like we're giving up very much by not using large, tower style speakers...
The fact that there are some bookshelf speakers that sound really great (maybe more now with current designs than ever before) and that one can use a subwoofer (which I have) to make up for some of the diminished bass that small speakers have mean that we don't have to feel like we're giving up very much by not using large, tower style speakers...
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
By bookshelf I take it as small-ish 2-way speaker. For me, I don't mind giving up low bass in favor of coherence and excellent midrange. Much of this has to be less in the crossover and in some cases, just a single cap for the tweeter. Much of the mid-range charm is from woofers that are run full range. Here are a few of my favorites:
Johnny B
Well-Known Member
Even besides that, a lot of houses aren’t set up for big floor standing speakers. I’ve lived in three houses since I moved out of my last apartment: two mid-50s ranches and the one I live in now, built in 1935. Big speakers could have worked in the living room in the Florida ranch. It would have needed some acoustic treatment before bothering, though. The second ranch had a horrible setup for trying to place speakers. I ended up putting the system on the wall that ran from the dining area to the living room and the left speaker blasted into the living room and the right into the dining room and kitchen. The basement (where we kept the TV and second system) was a little better, but the way we had the furniture set up made placement difficult.
Here, in the 1935 place, the best space is the little listening room in the back that was an addition. It’s too small for floor-standing speakers. They could theoretically work in the living room, but not the way it’s set up right now. And I don’t live alone, so it’s not entirely my call.
quiet
Addicted Member
I have ten pair of said to be bookshelf speakers. One pair is. The rest are best used on stands. Five of these "book shelf" speakers don't need subs. So the term apparently applies to a rectangular box up to two feet tall devoid of any legs/feet/built in stands or peripheral trim embellishment.
And my floor models are to big for stands.
And my floor models are to big for stands.
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
The little Sony's are fairly tolerant of placement. In fact, all of them are. The rear ported models could do with a little space on the backside. Of the three port locations, the rear, center location is the best for imaging. The underside port is good as well. I have never liked baffle mounted ports.
So true, the speakers with the best showroom appeal are often not so good, see most Polk's. This B&W should sound better but does not because it tries too hard to boost bass which ruins coherence.
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By bookshelf I take it as small-ish 2-way speaker. For me, I don't mind giving up low bass in favor of coherence and excellent midrange. Much of this has to be less in the crossover and in some cases, just a single cap for the tweeter. Much of the mid-range charm is from woofers that are run full range. Here are a few of my favorites:
I have a set of those Sonys with the Kevlar woofers! Great little speakers! I used them for a long time as front mains in my HT setup. They sound great but look like **** in black vinyl.........I wish they made them in other colors.
I’ve heard of people using small stands to raise towers to the best spot , but yeah good bookshelves and a sub sometimes cheaper . But I would not use floor speakers without a subwoofer.
mark16915
New Member
I'm using KEF LS50s with an SVS sub right now. I've used Advent, PSB, and Athena floorstanders in the past, as well as Elac and PSB bookshelves. They all have their place and sound good in their own way. Once I got the "imaging bug" though I can't live without what the LS50s do for me. They just don't deliver satisfying bass IMHO so the subwoofer was necessary, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
twiiii
Lunatic Member
The obvious reason is size. But I enjoyed Book shelf speakers because you could raise the mid and tweeter to ear height. and the woofers didn't get overly warm because of room loading. People didn't place their speakers in the middle of the room as some do today in the 50's and 60's. Book shelf speakers don't dominate smaller listening rooms either which keeps the ladies happy. They can almost disappear into the wall it seems. I always found Book shelf speakers running out of dynamics when I tried to use them as monitors for tape I recorded live. So I stuck with larger floor standers. My first taller speakers with the tweeters and mids at ear height were a real revelation. Over the years I have stuck with floor speakers with tall cabinets though I do you use a shorter version for my center and rear speakers and book shelf models for the sides. They all use the same drivers which means they all have similar sounds. and there fore don't call attention to them selves, blending with the principal left and right speakers. I will admit speakers today can handle more power than the 30 watt ratings back in the early 60's. So I imagine 120 watts for most folks is about right for large instantaneous peaks in smaller rooms.
darkblue94
The Devil made me do it.
The LS50s are exactly what they were designed to be and excel at that. Lack of bass is in no way an oversight.
Bahamayellow
Super Member
I have the advent 1 s also which are kind of large bookshelf’s I guess. They would probably fill the sound of a medium size room. I like to fit floor standers in small rooms. Lol I have some very large floor standers in a small room. I will admit though through technology and computer designs the new modern speakers put out a lot of sound for the money and size.
Johnny B
Well-Known Member
When I first bought them, I turned them up pretty loud in my old house. At half volume, I could fill the first floor. (Only tried that once. Party system was downstairs in the bar.) So, they fill up my little 11 x 15 room pretty well. I couldn’t have floor standers in here and have the room be at all functional because of the furniture.
I have actual bookshelf speakers (and a sub) in my living room, which is larger. But it has even more furniture in it.
SoCal Sam
Lunatic Member
Kevlar cones AND plastic baskets. Plastic baskets are not as rigid as metal but I think the fact that sound waves travel through plastic rather than reflect has benefits.
And they can play loud enough to let your neighbor know you are having a great time.