Floorstanding Speaker Design and Integration Question

[luft262]

I've noticed that many floorstanding speakers use a design of either one larger, say 8 to 10 inch woofer or two smaller 5 to 6 inch woofers for bass extension.

1. Is there a design advantage of one type over the other? Usually, the design with the single larger woofer will cost more within the same product line. Does that mean they sound superior?

2. If one is using subwoofers does that change which floorstanding speaker design would theoretically be more advantageous?

Thanks

 

[twsecrest]

I would guess it might be cost?
Two moderate quality 6-inch woofers, might be cheaper then a single higher quality 10 inch woofer.
A 6-inch woofer is mass produced, which gets it's cost down. Less demand for a 10-inch woofer, to costs might be higher per unit, over the 6-inch.

 

[Ron Texas]

10" woofers are rare these days. Pairs (or 3) of smaller woofers allow for a smaller front baffle which seems to be how lots of speakers are designed.

 

[valerianf]

In the 80's there were 3 ways speakers with one 12 inches woofer. For sure they used a large enclosure.
Then appeared the speaker towers that could fit one or two 10 inches woofers. The design was more beautiful estheticaly speaking.
Nowadays with the availability of sub-woofers, the bookshelf speakers using one 5 inches woofer (it is a faulty name as it is more a wide band) are the main market.
What i can tell you is that I miss the big sound of the 80’s with the large woofer shaking the room.

 

[Chrispy]

Sometimes there's no replacement for displacement. Sometimes WAF and sales matter