in my search for my perfect hi-fi, I've opted for the towers way right from the start because I just love having a tall woody speaker that blends in with a woody environment rather than bookshelves on metal stands. so I haven't really tried out bookshelves and now wonder if I should.So, having said that - if I had $2K to spend on speakers, would getting bookshelves + stands be as equivalent in SQ to just buying towers? do I have to factor in $$ for a sub because bookshelves may not give me sufficient bass?
towers vs bookshelves
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If your key priorities are weight, depth and scale and like to feel bass, then you need to go for floorstanders.
scene
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hi fi newbie:
If your key priorities are weight, depth and scale and like to feel bass, then you need to go for floorstanders.
I would agree with that, but on average you will tend to sacrifice a little insight and timing
Not all stands are metal: click or click or click - to give a few WHFSV rated ones.
I'm a fan of towers (note the MA Silver 8is and I hanker after some RX6s or RX8s) but I must admit if I was auditioning for a stereo pair, I wouldn't ignore standmounters - I'd consider the Spendor SP2/3R2s or Neat Momentum 3is (if I had the cash!)
If your key priorities are weight, depth and scale and like to feel bass, then you need to go for floorstanders.
I would agree with that, but on average you will tend to sacrifice a little insight and timing
Not all stands are metal: click or click or click - to give a few WHFSV rated ones.
I'm a fan of towers (note the MA Silver 8is and I hanker after some RX6s or RX8s) but I must admit if I was auditioning for a stereo pair, I wouldn't ignore standmounters - I'd consider the Spendor SP2/3R2s or Neat Momentum 3is (if I had the cash!)
not sure what might be referred to when you mention weight, depth and scale to music - I assume you mean full-bodied sound, then yes, I like my music to have some "tangibility" if that makes sense
did check out the stands though - do stands really make such a difference to sound? can't I like put the speakers on a console / stool or something...would it affect sound that much?
did check out the stands though - do stands really make such a difference to sound? can't I like put the speakers on a console / stool or something...would it affect sound that much?
upsidesunny:did check out the stands though - do stands really make such a difference to sound? can't I like put the speakers on a console / stool or something...would it affect sound that much?
Yes it will affect it, massively, I didn't believe it made much difference, and had one speaker on my AV rack and the other on a small wooden stool on hearth next to the fire. Never really liked the sound very much, then bought some Partington Dreadnoughts. Unbelievable the amount of difference, and mostly where the bass is concerned, all the weight, depth, slam, etc etc that I was missing was there, it was like it was a different set of speakers.
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
Yes it will affect it, massively, I didn't believe it made much difference, and had one speaker on my AV rack and the other on a small wooden stool on hearth next to the fire. Never really liked the sound very much, then bought some Partington Dreadnoughts. Unbelievable the amount of difference, and mostly where the bass is concerned, all the weight, depth, slam, etc etc that I was missing was there, it was like it was a different set of speakers.
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
plastic penguin
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upsidesunny:
not sure what might be referred to when you mention weight, depth and scale to music - I assume you mean full-bodied sound, then yes, I like my music to have some "tangibility" if that makes sense
did check out the stands though - do stands really make such a difference to sound? can't I like put the speakers on a console / stool or something...would it affect sound that much?
Floostanders generally give bigger bass response due to the cabinet size; they will go considerably deeper than a standmounted monitor, but the trade-off is they won't have quite the agility (or detail in some respects).
not sure what might be referred to when you mention weight, depth and scale to music - I assume you mean full-bodied sound, then yes, I like my music to have some "tangibility" if that makes sense
did check out the stands though - do stands really make such a difference to sound? can't I like put the speakers on a console / stool or something...would it affect sound that much?
Floostanders generally give bigger bass response due to the cabinet size; they will go considerably deeper than a standmounted monitor, but the trade-off is they won't have quite the agility (or detail in some respects).
the_lhc:
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
upsidesunny:the_lhc:I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
I didn't say that, I said there's no point spending thousands of dollars to put kit in a room with such compromised acoustics, ie there's no point spending beyond a certain level because you won't get your money's worth. Nothing is going to sound like it does in the demo rooms either.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
I didn't say that, I said there's no point spending thousands of dollars to put kit in a room with such compromised acoustics, ie there's no point spending beyond a certain level because you won't get your money's worth. Nothing is going to sound like it does in the demo rooms either.
plastic penguin
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upsidesunny:the_lhc:
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
the_ihc is right - no point in purchasing expensive speakers/amps/CDPs if they are located on insufficient stands/cheapo racks. Likewise, you can have the best system in the world, and it could sound ropey if the acoustics don't suit your system.
If your speakers or system is bright, having wooden floors and a lack of soft furnishings will only antagonise or highlight the problem more, whereas adding carpets or rugs, a huge soft sofa and bookcases will generally soften or smooth off any rough edges your system may demonstrate.
There's no one solution; a combination of system matching and room acoustics is the best way of gaining the greatest VFM. Get that right and....
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
the_ihc is right - no point in purchasing expensive speakers/amps/CDPs if they are located on insufficient stands/cheapo racks. Likewise, you can have the best system in the world, and it could sound ropey if the acoustics don't suit your system.
If your speakers or system is bright, having wooden floors and a lack of soft furnishings will only antagonise or highlight the problem more, whereas adding carpets or rugs, a huge soft sofa and bookcases will generally soften or smooth off any rough edges your system may demonstrate.
There's no one solution; a combination of system matching and room acoustics is the best way of gaining the greatest VFM. Get that right and....
upsidesunny:the_lhc:
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
FACT: You're wasting your money buying ANY bookshelf speakers without stands.
FACT: If you can accommodate floorstanders, you can accommodate stands.
FACT: If you want to TOTALLY RUIN the sound of your speakers, then stick them on your stools.
I've said before I don't believe it's worth you spending huge amounts of money in the room you've got but if you get standmounts and plonk them on stools and the like you might just as well not bother buying them at all, you're just wasting your money.
I'm still intrigued by your statement. based on the layout of my listening room, there is no point at all seeking for an improvement in sound because there never will be?
FACT: You're wasting your money buying ANY bookshelf speakers without stands.
FACT: If you can accommodate floorstanders, you can accommodate stands.
FACT: If you want to TOTALLY RUIN the sound of your speakers, then stick them on your stools.
its a tough one because i went for Br5 floorstanders (£450) but you could get equal standard of sound (-the depth but a tighter sound)for around £300 then adding some stands bought the 2 very close so it really is close call. I think if are looking at floorstanders you like the look which is the main reason i went for them. But the others are right in they really take the same space but if they going to be less than 6inch from the back wall try and demo some standmounts they seem more forgiving as far as placement goes i needed to bring mine 9.5inch off the wall to get them to sound class close to wall really did change the sound for the worse. So then it goes back to find what will go in your room enjoy the demos thats one of the best things i have done money to burn and time on my hand( those were the days)
smuggs:But the others are right in they really take the same space but if they going to be less than 6inch from the back wall try and demo some standmounts they seem more forgiving as far as placement goes i needed to bring mine 9.5inch off the wall to get them to sound class close to wall really did change the sound for the worse. So then it goes back to find what will go in your room enjoy the demos thats one of the best things i have done money to burn and time on my hand( those were the days)
they don't do room demos here 🙁
anyways, my space can take up to 1 foot or more away from the wall. what it cannot take is more space between the 2 speakers because the wall is really quite short at 2.1m
they don't do room demos here 🙁
anyways, my space can take up to 1 foot or more away from the wall. what it cannot take is more space between the 2 speakers because the wall is really quite short at 2.1m
I have seen the pix of your apartment elsewhere. Very nice it looks too but as also mentioned elsewhere, horribly compromised for hi-fi.
Mine is quite a small listening area with probably about the same amount of width to play with which is why I didn't go down the "full" hi-fi route. I just couldn't justify the cost when I knew I would never get to enjoy or appreciate it's full potential. Not from the point of volume, but for the sheer lack of soundstage due to the relative proximity of the speakers which is why I went down the micro path. Do I remember you saying something about the opposite wall being wider?
Mine is quite a small listening area with probably about the same amount of width to play with which is why I didn't go down the "full" hi-fi route. I just couldn't justify the cost when I knew I would never get to enjoy or appreciate it's full potential. Not from the point of volume, but for the sheer lack of soundstage due to the relative proximity of the speakers which is why I went down the micro path. Do I remember you saying something about the opposite wall being wider?
Sizzers:Do I remember you saying something about the opposite wall being wider?
yes, opposite wall is wider with a 2.6m wide wall (vs the 2.1m where i intend to put the speakers). flanks the main entrance.
just not keen to have the tv there because that means I will ALWAYS have to watch tv with my curtains closed because I will constantly be facing my neighbour's unit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72516561@N00/4446889587/
that's the price to pay in sunny singapore where land and home comes at a premium.....
anyways, just to share, just went to audition some more speakers today - Focal Chorus and ProAc Studio 110/130, and revisited Spendor A5. My ears are practically ringing after almost 5 hours of auditioning and listening to a salesguy trying to impart some wisdom of entering the hi-fi scene.
I think I still prefer the tower sound. I find it a fuller bodied sound. I'm starting to think the choice is narrowing down to Dynaudio Excite32, ProAc, Spendor, and maybe Tannoy DC6T if I get to audition them. While I love the clarity and detail of the brighter sounding Monitor Audio, Focal and Dali, I don't think my ears can take long listening to their bright tones.
As to whether or not my space warrants my spending that amount of money is something I need to figure out. Price wise, the Excite 32 is at a steep SGD$3.7K, the ProAc Studio 130 at SGD$3.5K, Spendor A5 at SGD$3K and Tannoy DC6T at SGD$2.5K.
I suspect it might end up being a toss between the Spendor and Tannoy. But oh, I really loved the Dynaudio's sound.
yes, opposite wall is wider with a 2.6m wide wall (vs the 2.1m where i intend to put the speakers). flanks the main entrance.
just not keen to have the tv there because that means I will ALWAYS have to watch tv with my curtains closed because I will constantly be facing my neighbour's unit
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72516561@N00/4446889587/
that's the price to pay in sunny singapore where land and home comes at a premium.....
anyways, just to share, just went to audition some more speakers today - Focal Chorus and ProAc Studio 110/130, and revisited Spendor A5. My ears are practically ringing after almost 5 hours of auditioning and listening to a salesguy trying to impart some wisdom of entering the hi-fi scene.
I think I still prefer the tower sound. I find it a fuller bodied sound. I'm starting to think the choice is narrowing down to Dynaudio Excite32, ProAc, Spendor, and maybe Tannoy DC6T if I get to audition them. While I love the clarity and detail of the brighter sounding Monitor Audio, Focal and Dali, I don't think my ears can take long listening to their bright tones.
As to whether or not my space warrants my spending that amount of money is something I need to figure out. Price wise, the Excite 32 is at a steep SGD$3.7K, the ProAc Studio 130 at SGD$3.5K, Spendor A5 at SGD$3K and Tannoy DC6T at SGD$2.5K.
I suspect it might end up being a toss between the Spendor and Tannoy. But oh, I really loved the Dynaudio's sound.
oh, and since i'm already showing off my place anyway, here's another view of the tv wall, this time including a view of the outside, that is NOT the neighbour's unit 😉
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72516561@N00/4446915469/
just imagine blue skies instead of that overexposed patch of white (the iphone camera doesn't do it any justice)
and while it's no open ocean or green fields, facing that way to listen to my music or watch tv sure beats facing the neighbour's unit.....
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72516561@N00/4446915469/
just imagine blue skies instead of that overexposed patch of white (the iphone camera doesn't do it any justice)
and while it's no open ocean or green fields, facing that way to listen to my music or watch tv sure beats facing the neighbour's unit.....
The audition will tell you absolutely nothing though, your home as has been said already is going to be worlds apart to the what you heard at the dealers. Did you not mention that you wouldn't even have the speakers on stands? well if that's the case, again, the speakers were on stands when you heard them. You are going to get some really horrible echoes with the room as it is now, with the sound bouncing around.
hi fi newbie: Did you not mention that you wouldn't even have the speakers on stands?
actually no, my question was more on whether or not one really needs stands with bookshelves (cos technically, the name "bookshelf speakers" should allow you to just plonk them on bookshelves and be done with it!)
and now that I know stands are an absolute must, I think I'll just stick with my towers
re the bouncing, yes, will probably take some measures to soften the room....like get a rug and another sofa, and probably some pictures but I think that's about all that can be done for now and I'll just have to live with the compromise. IF I really want to spend that amount of money for what you say might be a compromised sound.
actually no, my question was more on whether or not one really needs stands with bookshelves (cos technically, the name "bookshelf speakers" should allow you to just plonk them on bookshelves and be done with it!)
and now that I know stands are an absolute must, I think I'll just stick with my towers
re the bouncing, yes, will probably take some measures to soften the room....like get a rug and another sofa, and probably some pictures but I think that's about all that can be done for now and I'll just have to live with the compromise. IF I really want to spend that amount of money for what you say might be a compromised sound.
you are talking about alot of money and cant see why if you went to a dealer and said i have 3k for speakers etc he wont come around with 3 options 2 floorstanders and a pair of stands with standmounts to your home and then take back the pairs you decide against he may say that for the sevices is £250-£300 but what would you rather spend £2700 on some speakers that you know suit the room or £3000 on a lucky dip. I promise that there is dealers out there that still pride them selves on service those who are 10-15% more than internet have to do something a little special.
IMO the PW is a wind up.
Every suggestion he/she has been given, there has always been a "reason" why it cannot be done (no home demos, even in Singapore?) Every piece of advice given or information provided has always been automatically questioned, to the point that it's wrong and has to be justified.
Done, finished - Wind Up.
Every suggestion he/she has been given, there has always been a "reason" why it cannot be done (no home demos, even in Singapore?) Every piece of advice given or information provided has always been automatically questioned, to the point that it's wrong and has to be justified.
Done, finished - Wind Up.
upsidesunny:hi fi newbie: Did you not mention that you wouldn't even have the speakers on stands?
actually no, my question was more on whether or not one really needs stands with bookshelves (cos technically, the name "bookshelf speakers" should allow you to just plonk them on bookshelves and be done with it!)
But the bookshelf name is a complete misnomer and I doubt one that's come from the manufacturers, the correct terminology is "standmount speakers". Just because some people put them on bookshelves doesn't make it right...
actually no, my question was more on whether or not one really needs stands with bookshelves (cos technically, the name "bookshelf speakers" should allow you to just plonk them on bookshelves and be done with it!)
But the bookshelf name is a complete misnomer and I doubt one that's come from the manufacturers, the correct terminology is "standmount speakers". Just because some people put them on bookshelves doesn't make it right...
Sizzers:IMO the PW is a wind up.
PW? I don't think it's a wind up, might be nice if the OP actually listened to some of the advice being given but speaker buying is a tricky choice. I think that's part of the reason I've put it off for ten years...
PW? I don't think it's a wind up, might be nice if the OP actually listened to some of the advice being given but speaker buying is a tricky choice. I think that's part of the reason I've put it off for ten years...
I find speakers to be the easyest part of hifi to buy. I have standmounters and floorstanders.Change them as my mood changes..but I tend to hear now more the standmounters...better staging, goes louder without bass being overbearing.
the_lhc:
Sizzers:IMO the PW is a wind up.
PW?
PW = Post Writer
My opinion is based around why everything suggested seems automatically rejected and has to be justified (on a LOT of posts). I get suspicious after a while!
Sizzers:IMO the PW is a wind up.
PW?
PW = Post Writer
My opinion is based around why everything suggested seems automatically rejected and has to be justified (on a LOT of posts). I get suspicious after a while!
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