Bookshelf speakers on the floor?

[Charliecj]

Mapleshade says putting your small speakers on almost floor level using their very expensive wood platforms would rise your speakers to new levels. Has anyone done this with their small speakers? If so, what did you put them on?

 

[mansr]

It will definitely alter the acoustics. In what way depends on the speakers and the room, though very little on what they're sat on. You'd probably want to point them a bit upward, though. Unless you listen while stood on your head.

 

[GGroch]

Mapleshade says putting your small speakers on almost floor level using their very expensive wood platforms would rise your speakers to new levels. Has anyone done this with their small speakers? If so, what did you put them on?

All quality small speakers were designed to sound best from specific locations. Nearly always this is with their tweeter driver at ear height, and the speaker either on a stand that raises them to this height, or placed on a table or bookshelf at this height. Alternately, some are designed with tilting stands (or bases) that tilt them upward so that the distance between the lower bass driver and the tweeter are about equal distance to your ears. Check the user manual or sell sheet to see what is recommended.

I see mapleshade offers unusual looking low stands with an optional tilt that can help time alignment. Certainly these will sound better than putting the same small speaker directly on the floor with no tilt. Almost certainly they will not sound as good as locating them where the speaker designer recommended. If you must place your small speakers near the floor, the mapleshade stands will sound no better than cheaper alternatives of the same height and angle. The traditional cinderblock stands work great, especially with a wedge to get the upward tilt right.

The "time correcting" jargon on the mapleshade site just means they offer tilting footers.

 

[Charliecj]

All quality small speakers were designed to sound best from specific locations. Nearly always this is with their tweeter driver at ear height, and the speaker either on a stand that raises them to this height, or placed on a table or bookshelf at this height. Alternately, some are designed with tilting stands (or bases) that tilt them upward so that the distance between the lower bass driver and the tweeter are about equal distance to your ears. Check the user manual or sell sheet to see what is recommended.

I see mapleshade offers unusual looking low stands with an optional tilt that can help time alignment. Certainly these will sound better than putting the same small speaker directly on the floor with no tilt. Almost certainly they will not sound as good as locating them where the speaker designer recommended. If you must place your small speakers near the floor, the mapleshade stands will sound no better than cheaper alternatives of the same height and angle. The traditional cinderblock stands work great, especially with a wedge to get the upward tilt right.

The "time correcting" jargon on the mapleshade site just means they offer tilting footers.

Thanks for your serious input ! After I choose my new bookshelves I might try one of those Kantu stands you linked.

 

[Koeitje]

All quality small speakers were designed to sound best from specific locations. Nearly always this is with their tweeter driver at ear height, and the speaker either on a stand that raises them to this height, or placed on a table or bookshelf at this height. Alternately, some are designed with tilting stands (or bases) that tilt them upward so that the distance between the lower bass driver and the tweeter are about equal distance to your ears. Check the user manual or sell sheet to see what is recommended.

I see mapleshade offers unusual looking low stands with an optional tilt that can help time alignment. Certainly these will sound better than putting the same small speaker directly on the floor with no tilt. Almost certainly they will not sound as good as locating them where the speaker designer recommended. If you must place your small speakers near the floor, the mapleshade stands will sound no better than cheaper alternatives of the same height and angle. The traditional cinderblock stands work great, especially with a wedge to get the upward tilt right.

The "time correcting" jargon on the mapleshade site just means they offer tilting footers.

Those stands look so silly.

 

[Charliecj]

Those stands look so silly.

But might be practical for me as I will only use them when listening to an album or watching a movie. Most times they will stay cooped up in the TV stand. Per my wife’s request.

 

[Bear123]

If you are going to put bookshelf speakers on the floor, why not just use tower speakers so that they are the correct height? I can understand your wife not liking bookshelf speakers on a stand.....they do look silly to many people(and some people love them). Perhaps she will like the aesthetics of a regular tower speaker better?

 

[Jim Taylor]

In the late '60s and '70s, my friends and I experimented with placing small speakers on the floor, primarily to reinforce bass output. Without being told why, we quickly discovered that we wanted to tilt the speakers back.

The takeaway back then was that the soundstage and imaging were all messed up. The sound seemingly came from the floor, and that was not natural. We quit experimenting.

Results were possibly due to less refined and less advanced designs compared to nowadays. Jim

 

[Charliecj]

If you are going to put bookshelf speakers on the floor, why not just use tower speakers so that they are the correct height? I can understand your wife not liking bookshelf speakers on a stand.....they do look silly to many people(and some people love them). Perhaps she will like the aesthetics of a regular tower speaker better?

You make sense but my predicament is my wife loves the look of her small modern living room. Speakers can come out of the TV console when serious listening going on ( concerts and movies)but must go back when not. Compromise is me using stands when I bring them out to play with. My stands from the stereo room in our house are heavy. Hence my post here about possibly using tiny floor stands.

 

[LTig]

You make sense but my predicament is my wife loves the look of her small modern living room. Speakers can come out of the TV console when serious listening going on ( concerts and movies)but must go back when not. Compromise is me using stands when I bring them out to play with. My stands from the stereo room in our house are heavy. Hence my post here about possibly using tiny floor stands.

What kind of speakers do you have? If they are not too heavy you could try to mount them on microphone stands (good ones from K&M) or stands for studio monitors.

 

[Charliecj]

What kind of speakers do you have? If they are not too heavy you could try to mount them on microphone stands (good ones from K&M) or stands for studio monitors.

Audioengine passive P4’s powered by a Bluesound Powernode amp.

 

[LTig]

Audioengine passive P4’s powered by a Bluesound Powernode amp.

They are similar in size to my Genelec 8020a and about 1 kg less weighty so no problem for a mic stand.

 

[Bear123]

You make sense but my predicament is my wife loves the look of her small modern living room. Speakers can come out of the TV console when serious listening going on ( concerts and movies)but must go back when not. Compromise is me using stands when I bring them out to play with. My stands from the stereo room in our house are heavy. Hence my post here about possibly using tiny floor stands.

Wow. So sorry for your situation. Good luck!