Do Bigger Speakers Mean a Bigger Window?


I enjoy listening to small loudspeakers, in fact a lot of my listening is done via my Logitech desktop computer speakers (2 SATs + 1 small sub) or those in the car.

However ultimately there's nothing like the sense of ease of listening via a big pair of speakers such as big Harbeths, vintage JBLs or Tannoys etc.

I wouldn't say that the bigger speakers (8 inch+ cone) are more accurate, in fact the Logitech's have an uncanny way of getting voices stunningly right as  
watching home movies on the PC demonstrates. It's just that the larger loudspeakers seem to reveal more of the recording quality and bandwidth. So much so that sometimes you can easily hear the limitations of the original tapes sometimes.

So, if you are after high fidelity sound, why would you buy small speakers? 



cd318

Showing 3 responses by timlub

By bigger window,  I assume that you mean soundstage?  If that is the case, no,  bigger speakers can do a lot, but typically the soundstage is a function of how the speakers are set in the room. Spacing apart, distance from ear etc.  If a smaller speaker and a larger speaker both have similar time alignment and phasing in the speakers array, then both will produce a similar soundstage.  How well they can do many other things is a different story, but for merely soundstage, that comes from proper placement. 
@cd318 
The bandwidth attribute that you are describing now comes from low frequency extension, other than that, a smaller speaker should be able to reproduce a frequency curve as well as a large speaker.  There is something to be said for larger drivers. They flat out move more air and that can affect the overall illusion with more authority than smaller drivers   . The rest of what you are eluding to is more a result of Drivers used, design of crossover and quality of parts etc. or even a single source driver, they often see into a recording quite well.  The speakers that I have in my system this minute are on a stand and are 3db down at 28hz, just not sure what you trying to get to or if I have even touched on it, but I hope this helps,  Tim 
"Yet it's hard to recall many small speakers which attained classic legendary status apart from the BBC designed LS3/5A" 

 Spica,  Rogers BBC, Advent, EPI, ADS...  A little bigger gets you, AR11 or Dynaco A25 or Spendor SP1