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Why bookshelf rather than floor-standers??

I have four models of 'bookshelf' speakers that I use regularly - ADS L300C, L520, L780/2, and Dahlquist DQM-9 - and one pair of ADS M12 towers. Only only one model of these should be referred to as a 'bookshelf' speaker, the L300C's. Seriously, the L520 and 780/2 might fit some some shelves, but I haven't seen shelves that sturdy in quite a while. The DQM-9's on a shelf? Those suckers are way too big and heavy. By the time any of the larger models are on a stand, the footprint is about the same as the M12's turned 90°. Perhaps 'large stand-mounted speaker' is a more accurate term for many of these. I will say any of the ones called bookshelf speakers are far easier to move. Perhaps with people moving more often, smaller speakers became much more desirable. That, and computer-aided design (better sound) along with less materials being needed for them and easier shipping (cheaper), has to have had an effect on the popularity of them. Regardless, the M12's are definitely better than the smaller speakers
 
Coytee said:
It's all about compromises.... unseen in the picture are not one.....but two Danley DTS-10's flanking the left/right side of room.

Had neighbors on three different walls, one was the complex manager's home. Never once in three years, did I have anyone complain....also, I made sure to "pre-apologize" to the manager (and neighbors) for ever being loud and they all looked at me and basically said "what the He** are you talking about? I've never heard any noise from your apartment"

So in the end, it's all about respect and control of the volume.

(had even larger speakers in the 2nd bedroom however, I never hooked them up.!!)
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My daughter and 2 roommates just moved into their first place (townhouse) other than dorms. We just moved them in today and I left a set of KG4’s, Adcom Amp, Pre and B&O TT. Told them it’s an eviction stereo so be respectful. I kind of forced them into mtg their neighbors on both sides, they where both outside doing things so I hello and it went from there.
She just sent me a txt saying they set it up as soon as I left so they could have music while they unpacked. She also said they made sure they couldn’t hear it outside. Respect and knowing your neighbors is the key. I spent my first 10yrs in the Navy in apts or townhomes, always had a chance to play loud without complaints.
 
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twitch54 said: ↑
there is also one other area that can't be overlooked ........... room anomalies (acoustic). While it's true that most floor standers can outperform 'bookshelf' speakers in the lower octaves not all rooms are optimized for their bass drivers to be located there. A pair of stand mounted speakers properly paired with a sub or two (EQ'd and located) can easily 'do better'

darkblue94 said:
^^^^^^^And there it is, in a nutshell.^^^^^^^
:trebon:
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While I agree with most of the statement, especially in regard to bass response, you typically give up some dynamic range with bookshelf speakers (or to be more specific, 7 inch and smaller woofers). They are less efficient and have less power handling capability. Obviously, this is more of an issue for larger rooms.
 
Putterman said:
twitch54 said: ↑
there is also one other area that can't be overlooked ........... room anomalies (acoustic). While it's true that most floor standers can outperform 'bookshelf' speakers in the lower octaves not all rooms are optimized for their bass drivers to be located there. A pair of stand mounted speakers properly paired with a sub or two (EQ'd and located) can easily 'do better'



While I agree with most of the statement, especially in regard to bass response, you typically give up some dynamic range with bookshelf speakers (or to be more specific, 7 inch and smaller woofers). They are less efficient and have less power handling capability. Obviously, this is more of an issue for larger rooms.
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And they can also, quite easily, do worse !!!
The done better is not easily achieved assuming that you're comparing them with truly high quality speaker systems .. (i.e. an Infinity IRS as an example)
And I think that I'm in agreement with the OP despite the many votes here for satellite systems ..
When cost is no object and given a dedicated listening space that can ignore aesthetics, it seems to me that most designers create fairly large systems ..
Just sayin .. I'm not denying the many practical reasons for subs and satellites . but time and phase coherence can be more properly controlled in a big floorstander.
 
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I don't know about anyone else's definition but for me bookshelf speakers need stands to be close to ear level. Towers don't need stands as they are already close enough to ear level. I also prefer to call them Floorstanding speakers because they are meant to be placed on the floor hence the term although some floor standing speakers use spikes/feet.
 
Other reasons why Bookshelf speakers on stands get used, getting tweeters at ear level. Sometimes, floor standers in some rooms won't get the tweeters positioned where one needs them.
 
KentTeffeteller said:
Other reasons why Bookshelf speakers on stands get used, getting tweeters at ear level. Sometimes, floor standers in some rooms won't get the tweeters positioned where one needs them.
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That's way my listening position is on a 4" folding memory foam pad on the floor :D.
 
bimasta said:
I found a pair of small Klipsch 2-ways for about 10 bucks at a Thrift. My expectations were not high: utility or gift speakers at best. But I love them. They lose little if anything to the 'better' ones for imaging, nuance, detail etc, but sound like full-size towers for soundstage, dynamics, all those good 'big speaker' qualities. And very efficient.
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What is the model of those speakers? The only 2-way Klipsch's I've heard were my brother's KG2's (two-way with eight-inch drivers, so not terribly small).
 
quaddriver said:
to this I reply, and not to you per se, but rather subs in general.

when asked in the store about my opinion on subs I reply as thus: "when you go see Rush in concert, does Neil Peart kick over the bass drum so it plays into the floor? yes bass is omni directional, but into the floor?"

And now I am adding: last friday I went to a small converted theatre to see "the Granati brothers with special guest Donnie Iris". Its a small place and my 4th row center tix was about 12-15 ft from the performers. I was recovering from pneumonia and the strong bass kick, aimed AT me, made it feel like I had to cough, and indeed loosened stuff up for later

In short, bass is meant to be felt, not just heard. If we are trying to recreate a live show, a sub woofer should not be part of the mix.
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With the boom in electronic bass oriented music in the last 35 years or so it seems like every club has a subwoofer setup. Even if it's a place that features bands, these days it's also likely to have DJs and folks who make electronic music as well. A few years ago I went to see a double bill with two bands, Supper Furry Animals and Earth. It was clear to me that even though neither one of these bands were DJs let alone dance type music that they were running the sound through the subwoofers in the PA, which made the music really muddy and sounded horrible. That and the fact that the club which has several floor was having some sort of "80s dance night" type thing on a different level and I could hear the bleed through in the quieter parts of the music inspired me to send an email complaining to this to the management... They admitted the errors of their ways and comped me a free ticket. This all points out an issue that I and a lot of other folks have with live music (bands anyway) these days, that the whole use of subs has become all to ubiquitous and hurts the music. That sound should be used for dance music only... the rest doesn't benefit at all from it...
 
Why i prefer to use my Bigger speakers is simply I'm scared to bloody death of knocking them of there stands. There has been a number of close calls. I never knock my Tannoy's over.

Oh you mean the sound: Well i am in a quandary about this. My Tannoy's can handle 300 watts RMS db rating 93db My Dynoaudio Emit 10's 150 Watts RMS with a db rating 86. My Amp is MF A5 500 watts RMS 250 per side . Now ! The internet says The advantage using the larger power handling bigger speakers on my system is Headroom.

Nutshell

Both sets of speakers Sound Truly good - The floor standing speakers win with me because I cant knock them over
 
This conversation makes it sound like all subwoofers are equal, and they categorically aren't ..
Far too many of them are just ported boxes with a distinctly three note bass character ..kinda like the rattling car trunk ahead of me .. yeah they can thump but they can't distinguish all the different larger drums one from another, or even sound good with acoustic bass music for that matter..
One note wonders ..
Truly good subs are generally expensive, and few and far between ..
 
Subwoofers sound great if you know how to use them properly. Placement and Cut off frequency are the key. It should only be heard when needed.
 
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