I know small speakers are sold as bookshelf speakers but do you really put them on a bookshelf rather than stands?
Bookshelf speakers
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chebby
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You should be able to.
If a manufacturer calls them bookshelf speakers, then they jolly well ought to be judged/reviewed as such (as well as on stands) to test the claim.
It everyone else calls them bookshelf speakers (from tradition or habit or whatever) but not the manufacturer, than that's fair enough.
If a manufacturer calls them bookshelf speakers, then they jolly well ought to be judged/reviewed as such (as well as on stands) to test the claim.
It everyone else calls them bookshelf speakers (from tradition or habit or whatever) but not the manufacturer, than that's fair enough.
Its really interesting what wikipedia says.
You can place them into a bookshelf. (you should be able to)
You can place them into a bookshelf. (you should be able to)
My bookshelf speakers are not on stands, they are on shelf top 
see the link in my signature for picture.
see the link in my signature for picture.my speakers are placed on a bookshelf because they sound better there than on stands, simple. Bookshelf speakers are designed to go on a bookshelf.
I have a pair of Acoustic Energy AE1's and try as I could I couldn't find room for them to put on stands and at the same time have some domestic peace with the Mrs. So ended up putting them on quarter inch plate glass shelves on a few dabs of blu tac and they sound just fine. AE1's are not as far as I know "bookshelf" speakers but then its a generalised term which probably tries to convey that they are compact
John Duncan
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My bookshelf speakers (not described as such by their manufacturer) sound s--t on bookshelves. I think it depends on whether (or where) they're ported. Sealed or front-ported should be OK, back-ported may or may not. Try and see...
John Duncan
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scene said:
You'd better be quick then, they're stopping making them. They do sound quite good on shelves though...
Ref ports
My AE1's are front ported so probably that does help although did have some MA BR1's also on same shelves which are rear ported and they sounded fine too.
I suppose in some ways you have to take the manufacturers product description with a pinch of salt. Try them in showroom up against a wall wouldn't be a bad idea, showrooms usually have plenty of shelves around
My AE1's are front ported so probably that does help although did have some MA BR1's also on same shelves which are rear ported and they sounded fine too.
I suppose in some ways you have to take the manufacturers product description with a pinch of salt. Try them in showroom up against a wall wouldn't be a bad idea, showrooms usually have plenty of shelves around
John Duncan
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chebby
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John Duncan said:
That doesn't suprise me.
Their Achilles heel - as 'full-on' advocates and manufacturers of active speakers - was the embarassment of also making a really good passive speaker.
AVI's uncompromising views on the inferiority of passive speakers was undermined to some extent by still making and selling them.
A good marketing decision that will mean their company philosophy will now be completely consistent with their product range.
CnoEvil said:
It didn't occur to me there would be a difference of opinion on this question....so let me explain further.
IMO. You CAN put this type of speaker on a bookcase, but in the vast majority of cases it will be at the expense of imaging, depth and control. With careful isolation this can be greatly improved, but will not be as good as a suitable stand (correctly positioned).
Some useful info from Boston Acoustics here: http://www.bostonacoustics.com/%2FBuying-a-Bookshelf-Speaker-C205.aspx
I generally agreed with CE on his view. Unfortunately in a real life situation a lot of people like me lives in a small room and placing a pair of speaker stands in a small room will compromise useable area. For this reason clever manufacturers make sealed box type speakers or speakers with front ports so that they can be put in a bookshelf to avoid the undesirable "wall effects" when they are placed closed to a wall or in a cabinet.
In my case I placed my Spendor SA-1 on top of a shelf and to improve imaging and soundstaging I improve my room acoustics by using a lot of sound absorbing and reflecting materials. The result is entirely positive and I am very happy with the SQ produced by my system including its image, depth, control and soundstages . There is no doubt that if I can put my SA-1 on a pair of Spendor Stands there will be further improvement in SQ but unfortunately I am unable to do so
In my case I placed my Spendor SA-1 on top of a shelf and to improve imaging and soundstaging I improve my room acoustics by using a lot of sound absorbing and reflecting materials. The result is entirely positive and I am very happy with the SQ produced by my system including its image, depth, control and soundstages
. There is no doubt that if I can put my SA-1 on a pair of Spendor Stands there will be further improvement in SQ but unfortunately I am unable to do so Inter_Voice said:I generally agreed with CE on his view. Unfortunately in a real life situation a lot of people like me lives in a small room and placing a pair of speaker stands in a small room will compromise useable area. For this reason clever manufacturers make sealed box type speakers or speakers with front ports so that they can be put in a bookshelf to avoid the undesirable "wall effects" when they are placed closed to a wall or in a cabinet.
In my case I placed my Spendor SA-1 on top of a shelf and to improve imaging and soundstaging I improve my room acoustics by using a lot of sound absorbing and reflecting materials. The result is entirely positive and I am very happy with the SQ produced by my system including its image, depth, control and soundstages
You have put a commendable effort into offsetting the inherent problems that would normally arise from the positioning of your speakers.......and is more than the majority of people would normally do (for a whole variety of reasons).
IMO. Placing a speaker on a bookshelf should be a last resort due to room constraints, and not seen as a satisfactory solution to avoid buying speaker stands. If there is no alternative, then a well designed bookshelf speaker will sound better than a standerd one (on a shelf), especially if proper stabilty and isolation measures have been taken.
the term bookshelf speakers does not mean they have to be placed on a bookshelf, as with all speakers positioning and proper support or stands with improve your stereo imaging and soundstage, dont take the term bookshelf literely. its a term we all use to describe small standmount speakers rather than floor standers. so my advice would be for best results experiment and try a good pair of stands for best results
the term bookshelf speakers does not mean they have to be placed on a bookshelf, as with all speakers positioning and proper support or stands with improve your stereo imaging and soundstage, dont take the term bookshelf literely. its a term we all use to describe small standmount speakers rather than floor standers. so my advice would be for best results experiment and try a good pair of stands for best results
As the term explans itself bookshelf speakers can be put on bookshelf or if you like can mount on stands if you have the space to put them. However floor stander speakers cannot put on a bookshelf.
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