Speaker to build into a custom shelf wall

[kristofer]

Dear ASR community,

we have recently moved and also became parents, so there is a lot less freedom of speaker choice and placement for me now in our living room

The only feasible position right now is in the top right and left hand corners of a self-built shelf wall where I currently have placed my old KEF LSX (see picture)

But those speakers are back-ported and slighly firing upwards, and everything sounds pretty muddy when you sit on the sofa.
What I would like to know if it is an acceptable idea to make those two corner shelf spaces into speaker cabinets and insert some foam and a broadband driver unit (or something like the KEF coax drivers). I can easily add a sub behind the couch. I would built the baffles to be facing slightly down and inwards if that helps. Box dimensions are ~50cm wide, 32cm high and 48cm deep. Room size is ~40sqm and the speakers sit in the short wall ~260cm above floor level and 450cm apart. I don't need high volume levels and have a variety of amplifiers to chose from, also willing to buy a dedicated one or use an active setup.

Any suggestions here on angles/setup? Also especially what values to look at when choosing the driver units. Or a keyword to research that. Open Baffle and Infinite Baffle both are not right here, but it also does not seem like conventional speaker cabinet building hits the spot...
All the best and thanks a lot in advance!

Kristofer

 

[Timcognito]

KEF Ci200RR-THX In-ceiling/In-Wall Speaker Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the KEF Ci200RR-THX in-ceiling/in-wall speaker. It was kindly sent to me by a member and costs US $999.99. Speaker has a luxurious feeling rubberized paint outside of the driver. Alas, as you see, it is a dust magnet. Fortunately you would cover the...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[jaakkopetteri]

I don't mean to correct you or anything, but I'm curious why you would consider those the only feasible positions? I would personally position them next to the pillow and the flower. Having the speakers overhead is kinda nice for ambient music though

 

[DVDdoug]

But those speakers are back-ported and slighly firing upwards, and everything sounds pretty muddy when you sit on the sofa.

Have you tried a spacer in the back or some kind of wedge to point them down?

The rear porting probably isn't much of an issue as long as you have enough space behind the speaker. The lower frequencies have long wavelengths compared to the size of the enclosed shelf so if that "shelf box" is resonating it's probably resonating above the port frequency.

What I would like to know if it is an acceptable idea to make those two corner shelf spaces into speaker cabinets and insert some foam and a broadband driver unit (or something like the KEF coax drivers).

It depends on what's "acceptable" to you. You have space for a larger cabinet so there is the possibility of a better speaker.

I would built the baffles to be facing slightly down and inwards if that helps.

I would do that too. My DIY speakers are large and "unusually tall" and the tweeters are built into what is essentially a gimble, currently pointed down and in.

...Some people would hate the "soundstage".