Advantages and did advantages.... Personally, it is rare that a down firing woofer is as accurate as a front firing. It isn't impossible, but the floor makes an effect on the bass. The gap between the floor and woofer can act as a slot load to a ported cabinet, giving a bass increase at given frequencies. Kinda like adding another port. If the woofer is too close to the floor as the bass rebounds, it can cause some cancellation.... So Getting a down firing right is tougher than a front firing. Next, a down firing woofer does offer some cone protection if it were ever needed. Down firing ports are a very different scenario and really are a different conversation, they are not affected by the same problems of a down firing woofer.
Physics of downward firing woofers
Ok ... this question will show my complete lack of knowledge about physics ... but here goes anyway:
Every now and then I come across a speaker with a downward firing woofer. I wonder: why don't the sound waves bounce off the floor back towards the speaker, rattling the bejeezez out of it and / or messing up the woofer itself?
~Jim
Every now and then I come across a speaker with a downward firing woofer. I wonder: why don't the sound waves bounce off the floor back towards the speaker, rattling the bejeezez out of it and / or messing up the woofer itself?
~Jim