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insoc789
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Last seen: 4 years 8 months ago
Joined: Jan 11 2007 - 11:02pm
do bookshelf speakers provide better imaging than floorstanding speakers?

Hello. One of the things I enjoy the most while hearing music is the imaging (or soundstage or 3d effect), closing my eyes and feeling like the band is in front of me playing a song, with e.g. the singer on the center in front of me, the piano on the left, guitar on the right, chorists on the far right, etc. etc. As of today my speakers consist of a pair of Triangle Titus 202 bookshelf speakers and Triangle Zerius 202 floorstanding speakers. I find that the bookshelf ones image better and easily than the floorstanding ones. I'm in the search of NEW speakers and while I got really impressed hearing a pair of Polk Audio speakers (model S60) and how remarkably good they imaged, in leaning towards KEF AUDIO speakers, basically the R3 bookshelf or the R7 floorstanding ones. I auditioned both today and don't know why, the R7 though being floorstanding ones image better to me than the R3 bookshelf. Both pair of speakers were in line only the R7 being farther away from each other than the R3. I like the R7 sound better overall but they are not cheap (in my country they are selling for at $4,200.oo) and one mistake could lead me to a big loss. I'm going to audition both again but could it be that the floorstanding R7 speakers imaged better than the R3 bookshelf speakers? Thank you very much for your help!

bierfeldt
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Joined: Oct 26 2007 - 2:30pm
Thoughts on stand mount vs. floorstanders

This is a great topic. I have flip-flopped back and forth on this a couple of times. Again, it comes down to your room.

There is a simple argument that the optimal placement in a room for midrange and treble will differ from the optimal placement for bass. If speakers and subwoofer are in separate locations that are optimized based on your room, soundstage will be better than a floorstander which will have to compromise one or the other.

There are tiny timing issues, etc... that make this slightly sub-optimal.

That being said, in a perfect world, you would treat your room so that optimal bass, midrange and treble performance would occur in the same location. Then a floorstander would give you the best possible soundstage.

I have been in showrooms that are treated where floorstanders sound incredible and deliver amazing, immersive soundstages and others where they sound flat.

My feeling is it is easier to get a standmount and subwoofer(s) to deliver an amazing soundstage in a room vs. a floorstander simply because the room will need less treatment.

Again, must disclose in every post. I am the founder of Verdant Audio Inc, maker of Verdant Speakers, importer for Art Audio and re-seller of a variety of brands.

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