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Help Speakers trapped on bookshelves

Help! My "bookshelf" speakers are hopelessly trapped on bookshelves, with no hope of graduating to stands, and I need advice on how to minimize the sonic stifling of the bookshelves. The speakers are Totem Rainmakers fed mostly jazz, folk and rock through a Cambridge Audio Azur 640C cdp and a 640A integrated. Interconnects are Analysis Plus Oval One and speaker cables are XLO ER-12. My home office is in a penthouse room measuring 6ft wide by 13 feet long, and the speakers are relegated to sit in a set of built-in shelves on one of the short walls that includes a fold-out secretary desk. Given the small size of the room (it's the only room in our small apartment that my wife would give up), there is simply no room for speaker stands on either side of the desk, where I do most listening (nearfield I guess). Therefore, until we have a bigger place, the speakers must stay on the shelves, and I need advice on positioning, etc. I've heard that packing books all around them helps, and I've tried that with minimal effect. Also, the speakers are ported, making it even harder. Help! Just please don't suggest that I disregard my wife's input and put them on stands anyway: she's currently carrying our first two children (twins), which gives her three votes to my one. One day, the speakers will be free to roam on stands, but for now I need to tap A'gon members' ingenuity and experience to make the best of this temporary incarceration.

Thanks,
Roger
rogercmd

Showing 4 responses by eldartford

eldartford
4,262 posts
 
The rear channels of my system are (for reasons you can imagine) relegated to bookshelves in two alcoves, which is worse than an ordinary bookshelf. Furthermore, they are rear-ported Madisound "Odins" (a 7" MTM configuration) and they are horizontal. All in all, couldn't be worse.

The good news is that when I bought a Behringer DEQ2496 Equalizer/Analyser for the front channels I tried it out on the rears. The analyser immediatly showed me the wacko frequency response, and equalization worked wonders. I immediately went out and bought another DEQ2496 for the rears.

So, I suggest you try a DEQ2496. This will set you back only about $300, including microphone.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Rogercmd...Tone controls are useful to modify particular recordings to suit your ear, but they cannot duplicate the function of an equalizer. The DEQ2496 has 31 boost/cut bands vs two boost/cut filters for tone controls. If you heard any improvement with tone controls I am even more convinced that an equalizer would help. I recommend the DEQ2496 because in addition to sounding good (and not breaking the bank) it has an automatic room equalization function.
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Rogercmd...As the saying goes..."you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink".
eldartford
4,262 posts
 
Rogercmd...I may now be "floging a dead horse", but here is another idea. As you proceed with your room tuning and other tweeks you really need a spectrum analyser to understand what your problems are, and to evaluate the effect of your efforts. The DEQ2496 fills that need, and is a good deal if only for use as a spectrum analyser. Buy it for that reason (as I did) and let the EQ features be an unexpected bonus.
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