2. speakers
  3. 187764-115924

Why "bookshelf" sspeakers?

This is not a rhetorical question. I’m asking because I don’t know.

The question is this: What is the point of "bookshelf" style speakers if they are not going on a bookshelf or table? In other words they are on speaker stands.

Here is the reason I’m asking. For a short time I had a pair of Aerial Acoustics 5T speakers along with a pair of Aerial Acoustics 6T towers (which I still have).

I listened to each set of speakers through a Bryston AV amp. I felt like the 6Ts sounded much better. More bass. Fuller sound. (I think a subwoofer would have resolved that easily for the 5Ts.)

The 5Ts are not exactly small and would barely fit on most bookshelves (although they are front ported and recommended for bookshelves by AE). The ones I listened to were on heavy metal stands which made them almost as big and heavy as the 6Ts.

So why buy smaller speakers which need to go on large heavy stands that make them as big as a floor standing speaker and not sound as good? Space saving does not seem to be the answer and I see some ’bookshelf’ speakers that are a good bit bigger than the AE 5ts.

I’m sure there must be a good reason since I see many people with them. And of course my assumption that a floor stander sounds better than a bookshelf might be wrong.

I guess cost comes into play somewhere in the equation as well.

Interested in people’s thoughts on this.

n80

Showing 3 responses by mitch2

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

You will pay a lot of money for that bottom octave done right with a pair of large floorstanders.  It is easier, and typically less noticed, for designers to cut corners with how the lowest frequencies are handled (i.e., driver size and quality, cabinet size and bracing, and design, e.g., bass reflex vs. acoustic suspension) to achieve a predetermined speaker price point.

As others have pointed out, “stand-mounted” is probably a more accurate description of most of today’s non-floor standing speakers.  If you can find a pair that righteously extends down to about 50Hz, or a little lower, then you can roll in a pair (or four) subs that have been purpose-built to handle the lowest two octaves with speed and power.  Other benefits of using subs include placement flexibility and relieving your main amplifier from the duty of driving the lowest frequencies.

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

@phusis

“actually, if your mains reach down into the 40Hz range you could experiment with running them full-range, and thus placing subs at a proper, minimum distance would add to the number of bass sources (mains + subs) for an effective DBA and smoother acoustical response.”

That is exactly what I do, upon the recommendation of the manufacturer, and the result sounds great. I also tried a fairly high-end, balanced high-pass filter, but I like the sound better with the mains run full out. I cross over to the subs at 45Hz. The trick is to go easy on power to the subs.  A little bit is probably just enough in many cases. My main amps provide a lot of juice, which probably helps reduce any negative effects of having the amps driving the main speakers through the full frequency range.

mitch2
3,694 posts
 

My “bookshelf” speakers are made by Aerial also, but they weigh 105 pounds each and have dual 9- inch woofers in a sealed box. Sitting on 70-pound Sound Anchor stands and paired with two Aerial SW-12 subs, the system offers flexibility of placement that allows optimal SQ in a variety of rooms and purposeful placement of the two subs provides impactful bass without the boominess I have previously experienced from certain full-range speakers.  The only change I would make would be to add one or two more subs.

More to discover