Recommendation for bookshelf speakers that can be placed horizontally

[djjohnr]

Looking for some bookshelf speaker options that can be placed on their sides for a home theater setup. Here's my situation:

• TV (75") has limited space under it, can't fit bookshelf speakers placed upright
• TV has no space to either side (fireplace on one side, cabinet on the other)
• Listening position is 16 feet away from the TV (no I can't move it closer)
• I really only care about the sweet spot
• I'm currently running 3 centers under the TV (old Energy C-C1s - http://www.hifi-review.com/151853-energy-c-c1.html), sound is nice but I'd like a wider sounding soundstage
• I'm considering grabbing some old KEF Q100s and placing them on their sides so I can get the drivers as far apart as possible

Anything else I can look at besides the Q100s? Would something like the Elac Uni-Fi UB52s work on their sides? I understand mids and tweeters horizontally in-line won't have great horizontal dispersion, but I'm not sure what happens when the mids and tweeters are coaxial but horizontally in-line with the woofer; the test here seems to show good vertical dispersion, which leads me to believe this would work well on it's side, but please correct me if I'm wrong - https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ac-uni-fi-2-0-review-bookshelf-speaker.19216/.

 

[sweetchaos]

Bookshelf speaker {when turned 90 degrees} that can be used as a center-channel speaker

Name	USD	PS	PSwSub	LFX
KEF Reference 1 Meta (Erin) (RL)	$9,000/pair	6.7	8.4	36
Kef R3 (Amir) (Erin)	$1,700/pair	6.5	8.2	35
Philharmonic BMR v2 (Erin) (the RAAL ribbon tweeter must be rotated 90 degrees) (RL)	$1,700/pair	6.1	7.7	33
Kef Q350 (Amir)	$500/pair	5.7	7.5	38
Kef LS50 Meta (Amir)	$1,600/pair (or $900 for a single)	5.7	7.8	43
Kef Q150 (Erin) (RL)	$300/pair	4.9	7.0	45

All Kef speakers are coaxial speakers, which have great horizontal, and vertical directivity. This makes them ideal to be used as a center channel.


From my guide.


The Elac UB52 has the following:

• Directivity
  • Horizontal directivity is (-70.0°, 60.0°) between 1kHz and 10kHz. Angle computed for +/-6dB.
  • Vertical directivity is (-50.0°, 60.0°) between 1kHz and 10kHz. Angle computed for +/-6dB.

Which means horizontal directivity will become vertical when you rotate it 90 deg.
Yes, UB52 will work just as well as Kefs.

update: removed bmr

 

[Neale]

KH310?

 

[tifune]

Bookshelf speaker {when turned 90 degrees} that can be used as a center-channel speaker

	USD	PS	PSwSub	LFX
Philharmonic BMR v2 (Erin) (the RAAL ribbon tweeter must be rotated 90 degrees) (RL)	$1,700/pair	6.1	7.7	33

This is interesting - I searched erin's review for 'horizontal' and didn't see that this setup was specifically called out. Obviously any bookshelf 'can' be turned sideways, but most suffer a bit. The BMR is different? If we assume vertical becomes horizontal, wouldn't we see the typical 2/3-way crossover issues on either the L or R side depending on which way it was laid down?

KH310

This probably my favorite center recommendation for most. Secondary market makes price reasonable and if asymmetry really bothers you there's a grille option.

 

[djjohnr]

Follow up post for anyone with a similar issue that comes across this post in the future -

• Was running 3 center speakers, with each LR tweeter/mid-woofer 24" from center, with a listening position 16' away. This puts each set of drivers about ~7 deg off center - definitely not optimal compared to Dolby recommendations. There wasn't really any soundstage to speak of outside of the speakers, and fairly minimal imaging within them.
• Swapped the LR speakers for KEF Q100s which pushed out the drivers another 8"s per side, brining them to 9.5 deg off center - still not optimal and wasn't expecting a huge improvement, was really just hoping for marginal gains
• Result has greatly exceeded what I thought was possible with this configuration, I'm getting a soundstage running 4' to the outsides of the speakers with much more detailed imaging within that.

 

[Byrdsmaniac]

Ascend Acoustics HTM-200 SE might work.

Or the Ascend CMT-340 if you want to play really loud or don't have a sub and want more bass. The 340 is capable of prodigious output.

Both will give you a wide soundstage and excellent dialogue clarity.

I have the 200s. They can sound a lot larger than they appear to be, but they are a lot less sensitive than the 340s and so require more power for equal output.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

You could also go look for a Kef 3001SE if you can find one. I bought mine for around $150 and its sonics very nearly resemble my LS50 Metas while having a much lower profile that I can fit under my LG C1 by hanging a small desktop speaker stand off the front of the AV cabinet.

The picture shows the set it was originall sold with. The one in the front obviously the center. It even has the Kef tangerine wave guide. Being sold as a separate on places like Ebay, and most of them are piano black. Cabinet is solid aluminum and they employ a neodymium magnet in the uni-q.

 

[Peluvius]

You can put the Genelec 1s on their side but 16 feet is a long way out, do you listen loud? The 8351 and 61. You want 105db peak capability for movies even if you don't listen too loud. The 1s have excellent dispersion characteristics for a center speaker but then you would need another couple for your front L+ R

 

[radix]

I use the Q350 on their side for L/R for a Marantz NR1510. I've not taken measurements yet -- I just moved and cannot find my umic . Anecdotally, they sound fine.

 

[dontpokethebear]

Is the KEF HTC8001 any good?