are tower speakers necessary in 2022?

[sarumbear]

For many years I was proud about that big equipment rack and my tower speakers. I have become a big believer in the power of elegant minimalism.

Multiple power amplifiers, active crossover and DSP is not elegant minimalism.

 

[Adi777]

So probably the best, least uncompromising system are large floorstanders like the Revel Salon Ultima 2 or Perlisten S7t with some very good quality subwoofers, or even larger speakers with about 12-15 inch woofers also with subwoofers. Apart from the acoustics and the size of the room.

@Wesayso So you agree?

 

[Wesayso]

Absolutely. The towers can provide better directivity to a lower frequency. The towers + subwoofers can function as distibuted bass.
It may seem contradictory but even in a smaller space the directivity gain helps to get you a clearer sound. Having more sources in bass helps to get a more even result over a large area. If one can EQ them separately, even better.
I have a relative small room with two (huge) towers and two subs. I'm restrained in what the missus allows position wise but make up for it with EQ.
The towers + subwoofers help out in the bottom octaves (last octave is subs only). All DIY though, but with good directivity behavior. (by design)

 

[crazycloud]

Multiple power amplifiers, active crossover and DSP is not elegant minimalism.

It is when they're out of eyesight in a cupboard.

 

[crazycloud]

or even larger speakers with about 12-15 inch woofers also with subwoofers.

I only have 2 15" midbass drivers in each of my speakers (and I have subs). But I'll accept the challenge.

 

[chuckt62]

I was thinking "No, of course not", but then...

This x2.

 

[sarumbear]

I was thinking "No, of course not", but then...
View attachment 212224

This x2.

It is when they're out of eyesight in a cupboard.

No words required…

 

[Vacceo]

Yessir!

My old standby was just enough subwoofer so you noticed it if you turned it off. IOW, the musical presentation was coming from the main speakers and the subwoofer just blended in. I believe the effect is called precedence. In doing that with satellites the result was dramatic to the point they became nearly unlistenable without the sub on. For towers though they were good either way but impact even more noticeable with the sub on.

/100% subjective observation...

My very non-scientific, very heuristic method is playing something with very clear bass beats (like Prodigy,). If those beats sound like pumping from the tower speakers, I'm doing it right.

 

[Adi777]

I only have 2 15" midbass drivers in each of my speakers (and I have subs). But I'll accept the challenge.

What speakers You have?

 

[crazycloud]

A tower WMTMW with AE TD15/10 and a TPL150H.
Soon a large Synergy with a pair of AE TD15 (design being finalised), plus the subs.

 

[sarumbear]

But there is no inherent advantage to a stand mount vs a tower.

Enclosure volume?

 

[crazycloud]

Enclosure volume?

I'm not sure I'm getting your point.

 

[kipman725]

What are they?

Just a normal compression driver on a horn

 

[Jon AA]

That's nice, but this thread was sort of talking about entire speakers, which would include bass--at least down to the point of crossing over to a sub.

 

[sarumbear]

I'm not sure I'm getting your point.

A floor stander will have more enclosure volume in a similar floor space that is occupied by a speaker on a stand, hence it will have higher efficiency. Efficiency of a speaker is proportional to the square of the enclosure volume.

 

[crazycloud]

A floor stander will have more enclosure volume in a similar floor space that is occupied by a speaker on a stand, hence it will have higher efficiency. Efficiency of a speaker is proportional to the square of the enclosure volume.

That I understand. I'd misinterpreted your previous post.

 

[stemfencer]

Towers look cool and make me happy, which in turn makes the music sound better. And take the same (plan view) footprint.

Will be adding a sub anyway as I want to get to 20hz for some genres, so yes I could have achieved similar/identical technical performance with good 2way bookshelves for less money, but I wouldn't be as happy.

 

[Gerbrand]

I just went from 3 way towers to a 3 way book shelves (Kef R3). Main reason for me is that I sit very close (2.2 m / ~7 ft) to the speakers. It also allows me slightly more freedom in positioning my 2 subs. This is in my home cinema. In the living room (which is a lot larger), I still have towers.

Gerbrand

 

[kolestonin]

I am new to the hobby but the more I read the more I understand that tower speakers will make more sense to a basshead music lover with a 30sq meters living room like me.
It is just that I don't like them at all. But to an extend that this looks to me like a 'non compatible' object with a living room.
And by having these thoughts I realized something.
I am 57 years old, low to middle class, lived in 3 different European countries, have a big cycle of friends/colleagues/relatives and NEVER visited an appartment/house which had tower speakers.
But never.
And I visited some really big houses as well. Not only flats.
So I guess this explains why tower speakers seem so uncommon, so unfamiliar to me.
But it also makes me thing of something else.
Are tower speakers more a US audio gear consumers thing?
Maybe due to the fact that the average US home is bigger that the average European?
Or even the 'bigger the better' American mentality plays a role here?
You might of course have a different experience than mine.

 

[crazycloud]

It is just that I don't like them at all.

Then you have your answer; don't buy any. You have a number of misconceptions about size and bass amount and level that I know that without hearing a really good large system, no written argument is going to convince you.

Find what you want and enjoy.