What are your thoughts on Bookshelf/Standmount speakers VS Floorstanding?

[JMacMan]

I generally prefer small two way bookshelf speakers as they tend to be clearer and have a better stereo image. Floorstanders have deeper bass and are easier to drive though.

The best option IMO is to use bookshelf speakers with a subwoofer. This combination often doesn't work though because it's difficult to get them to intigrate properly and most speakers and subwoofers tend to 'boom' which makes integrating them impossible. But when you do get a 2.1 system right (AVI, Genelec and Acoustic Energy's Pro Sub/Sat) and they do integrate well it works wonderfully and sounds better than either floorstanders or bookshelf speakers.

In my experience small two bookshelf speakers tend to have worse midrange clarity than properly engineered 3 ways or 4 ways. This is most apparent with vocals, especially at generous to loud volumes. My guess is that getting a cone to deliver bass at the same time as the midrange results in doppler effect distortion as well as cone break-up distortion, as well the midrange cone at times being outside it's resting position - ie with the cone suspension pushing or pulling on the cone as it's trying to recreate the vocalist along with the effects of the magnetic field being non-linear as the voice coil is moved away from its' resting position.

Clarity, of course depends largely on the quality of the speaker drivers, the quality of the speaker cabinet and the general quality of execution of the design.

What you often get with small two way speakers is a curtailed frequency response. When you take away some of the bass and some of the treble the mind tends to focus on what's left. It's a psycho-acoustic trick.

The downside of moving from 2 to 3 way speakers is that you have another crossover region. With likely comb effects at nearfield listening in the crossover region. It will depend upon the speaker as to how far away you need to sit to not get comb effects. But even with these comb effects, it could be argued that that's an acceptable price to pay for better vocalist clarity and less bass distortion.

Adding a subwoofer to a small 2 way speaker isn't necessarily a good fix. Small ported 2 way speakers tend to have large amounts of bass distortion, especially as the volume is turned up and with repetitive bass transients. When you add a subwoofer you still have this distortion coming from the 2 ways, as well as the lesser clarity in the midrange. All you're doing is overlaying the signal from the sub onto that coming from the main speakers.

The biggest compromises with properly executed 3 way or 4 way speakers is the increased manufacturing costs and the increased size.

Some standmounts have a bigger internal volume than some floorstanders. EG Linn Isobariks are bigger than many floorstanders.

Hi Lindsayt - a very good post, and I would have to say that your thoughts echo my practical experience, and thus I very much agree.

JB