Stand-mounted vs. Floorstanding

[stevenswall]

I'm wondering if it would help with floor bounce with bass drivers, especially on a two way floorstander where the vocals are partly smeared across several feet. Maybe it just changes the cancellation frequency thought and there's not really an advantage or disadvantage.

 

[direstraitsfan98]

I'm wondering if it would help with floor bounce with bass drivers, especially on a two way floorstander where the vocals are partly smeared across several feet. Maybe it just changes the cancellation frequency thought and there's not really an advantage or disadvantage.

On paper I guess that's a thing but in practice I've never heard vocals sound more clear then on my big floor standers with the 15" wooer located just half a foot off the floor. Probably depends on the design. I think most floor standing speakers place the woofer high enough off the floor. Harman/JBL has decades of experience, they must know what they're doing.

 

[Honken]

I personally went with floorstanders (the RP-8000F by Klipsch) with the intention of most likely adding subs later on to extend the lower end. Comparing the cost of OK'ish stands + the bookshelf version, and the size required for both versions, I came to the conclusion that even if I were to cut some of the lower end extension from what the floorstanders can do, it'd still be easier and cheaper to go with the floorstanders.

Besides, until I do get around to purchasing those subs, the floorstanders will sound better than the bookshelves.

I guess that in a couple of years, when I have swapped my equipment around a few times, I will regret going with floorstanders due to the sheer weight of them.

 

[stevenswall]

On paper I guess that's a thing but in practice I've never heard vocals sound more clear then on my big floor standers with the 15" wooer located just half a foot off the floor. Probably depends on the design. I think most floor standing speakers place the woofer high enough off the floor. Harman/JBL has decades of experience, they must know what they're doing.

Have you heard the equivalent stand mount speakers nearfield? Seem like that would probably be even clearer. I've never heard a floorstander sound as clear (which means dry, zero cancellations, no reflections, direct sound only) as a nearfield monitor. Need to hog my Genelecs next to my computer desk to get things to sound that clear again.

 

[BDWoody]

Makes being an audiophile much easier, when you don't have a pesky SO to appease
Just yourself and your choice of fine clothes and dining, or having nicer audio things. I may or may not have chosen the latter.

It does! I can get away with janky shit like this as my work in progress makes...progress.

The bed risers under the hanging legs just give it that extra something, I know...

 

[direstraitsfan98]

Those 705p look so cute!

 

[tecnogadget]

Bookshelves don't have any inherent advantage. However, there are speakers with special capabilities sold in bookshelf form that do not have a tower equivalent(Genelec, D&D 8c, etc).

This is just my own theory. When comparing a Bookshelf and Floorstanig from the same brand and series...wouldn't the Bookshelf cabinet be sturdier because of more effective bracing, less resonating panel area and hence less cabinet resonance/colorations?

This is something I've always been wondering and would love to see some empirical evidence if I'm right or wrong.

 

[Xulonn]

The sound of a kickdrum at 100dB on a 15" woofer sounds has a completely different timbre and impact then it does on a 5" one.

Indeed. Way back in 1976, I owned a pair of custom 3-way speakers - similar to the JBL L45 below - that used the JBL S8 drivers. Although I hesitate to use subjectivist terminology, but they delivered the "slam" of a kick drum with a sense of ease. But although the midrange also clear, detailed and dynamic, it had a megaphone-like "honkiness" that was not endearing.

 

[Xulonn]

The bed risers under the hanging legs just give it that extra something, I know...

Apparently, you used to have a fireplace, too.

 

[HammerSandwich]

Does "all else being equal" include price?

Small cabinets can have advantages in secondary radiation from vibrating walls & diffraction. Designers can address these issues in big speakers, of course, but final cost will be greater with more raw materials, labor, packaging & shipping.

So, on a smaller budget, smaller speakers can allow better performance above 100Hz or so with a possibly lower SPL. At some point, the budget rises enough to allow a properly engineered floorstander without significant compromises. And it will beat the little speakers. Don't even get me started on the $10+k 2-way passives that certain reviewers rave about...

 

[sergeauckland]

The correct location of a sub for best bass is almost never the correct location for one of your main speakers, so there are good reasons to use them - if you want flat low frequency response - however, I am starting to find that I prefer my Magnepans' bass without subs and that those lower frequencies don't add an awful lot to music enjoyment.

That's been my experience with subs. I ended up with a pair of subs sitting right next to my floorstanding mains (Meridian DSP5000s) effectively making them into larger mains. As to location, maybe I've been lucky, but the only two sensible places for 'speakers in my room result in decent enough bass, so had never felt it necessary to locate the subs elsewhere. Now with my 801s, I've never felt the need for separate subs, so the situation doesn't arise.

In my previous house, now some 30 years ago, I had first IMF transmission lines, then KEF 105.2s and again didn't feel the need for subs.


S

 

[BDWoody]

Apparently, you used to have a fireplace, too.

The things we do for love...of Audio...

I have a mount for above the mantle that pulls down to roughly where the TV is now, so that will give me back the hearth...but I have to figure some non-ridiculous way of having the third 708 sit there in the middle of it...or somehow mount it to the bottom of the TV mount...

Or, I guess I don't, do I?

 

[Dimitri]

To borrow a phrase ..."no replacement for displacement"

I've never understood the attraction of stand mounts

The look cool. If it looks cool , it sounds better.

 

[Xulonn]

They look cool. If it looks cool , it sounds better.

I think that effect is referred to as "bias enhancement"!

 

[BDWoody]

I think that effect is referred to as "bias enhancement"!

Can we call it Biagra?

 

[HammerSandwich]

To borrow a phrase ..."no replacement for displacement"

Too engine-centric. Around here, we have "so much Vd, it Hertz."

What?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I'm not sure how that's easier than just moving the speaker on a stand...

Because the two pieces come apart! But that's only one (minor) item in a long list of why I do not like stand-mounted speakers and would not consider one (or two) for general use.

 

[BDWoody]

Because the two pieces come apart! But that's only one (minor) item in a long list of why I do not like stand-mounted speakers and would not consider one (or two) for general use.

My stand mounts can bolt to the stands...

 

[Chrispy]

I find room size can play a role, too. A good tower I think has an advantage over a standmount in larger rooms, even with subs, but depends on the particular speakers too of course rather than just generalizing. Cost can play a role in a good set of standmounts with subs vs very capable towers (without subs), but there's always that pesky location issue, too. As mentioned, definitely easier to move households with smaller speakers

 

[Chrispy]

Because the two pieces come apart! But that's only one (minor) item in a long list of why I do not like stand-mounted speakers and would not consider one (or two) for general use.

With a little blutac it can be hard to separate them, tho.