Looking for a great front ported bookshelp speaker recommendation


Hi everyone,

After about a 15 year hiatus from hifi, I'm looking to get back into it. I'm looking for a front ported bookshelf speaker. The reason is that it's going to go inside a cabinet and right against a back wall. My budget is up to $5,000 but the less, the better:) Any advice or guidance would be appreciated.

TIA

blackiridium

Hello blackiridium!  Whatever you wind up with, pad the empty space around the speakers with blankets, towels, old sweaters - whatever, to kill resonances in the space between the speaker and the space in which they sit. If the front baffle of the actual speaker cabinet is not padded, cut up and old towel or get some felt or feece or something to stop sound from moving across the front of the cabinet (under the grille) and jumping off the edges of the "box." In the "old days" most companies paddded their front baffles. Happy listening!

Aerial 5T.  It's a great speaker in your price range.  I own a pair and have the same issue with using them in a bookshelf arrangement.  They sound awesome!

Don't think front-ported speakers or speakers without rear ports can be generally placed directly against or near a front wall. These speakers need room to breathe. However, there are high-quality speakers specifically designed to be positioned close to or against a front wall, such as the D&D 8c.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/dutch-dutch-8c-active-loudspeaker-system

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j38gkS-Q8f8