Are floor standing or bookshelf speakers better for a stereo setup?

[Dmax]

This is one bad luck family your talking about.They drive in a car and get shot,go ski and hit trees.

This is true,would you marry into that family if you were single and she was drop dead gorgeous?

[Bernd]

Most of the people on this forum are passionate about music reproduction. If they are around 50 as I am, they have been through many purchases of name brand stereo gear as their budget allows. Sooner or later you just want more from your music. In Hi-fi this sometimes means spending some big bucks. So it is not a "waste of money" to advise people to spend wisely from the start, only recommendations from experience.

I agree even so I am "only" 44. If I knew then what I know now I would have stuck with the Budget system I had and would have auditioned and saved and then made the big purchase.As it happened I was fortunate enough to put the system together that I like over the last two years.
On the other hand,maybe the learning curve you climb through upgrading is part of the fun.
It can be a long and rocky road.
As to the original question I do agree that below $ 2000 you should look at good standmounts. The Proac's spring to mind. Above that the world is your oyster.
But speakers are something very personal and so room dependant.And a good two channel set up will always,in musical ability, wipe the floor with a suround set up.
So good luck with your search. I would go for Floorstanders every time.

Bernd

[markw]

.. a nice pair of maggies and a good sub comes to mind...

'course the receiver would have to be stable at 4 ohms...

[PAT.P]

This is true,would you marry into that family if you were single and she was drop dead gorgeous?

This would be a tuff choice to make,but money might change the impact of my decision

[Florian]

i dont really have a budget.

if 1000 is what i need to get a great set of floor standing speakers, then thats what i will save up.

if 400 is what i need to get a great set of bookshelf speakers, then thats what i will save up.

its just a matter of time.

going back to my main question, will bookshelf or floorstanding speakers perform more optimally in a stereo setup with a nice subwoofer (21-39 PCi SVS)?

Become whatever you want, and that inlc. a snoob. If you own a system above the rrest and state that yours is better you will be called a snob and people will think that its all your fault for asuming that yours is better. Anyways, i think its a great attitude. Buy good equipment and not the good deal equipment!

Cheers

[shokhead]

Only if you let everybody know you have so much better stuff and there's isnt up to par.

[Florian]

Only if you let everybody know you have so much better stuff and there's isnt up to par.

Many owners like myself never go out and say how much better there stuff is they just reply to such comments as " My Paradigm Studio 40 sounds soo real" "Or thos ***** speakers are this and that"------ we just smile and respond which then usually causes the otherside to attack the only possible section which is the prize.

LOL, anyway. Bottom line, if you wanna be a so called snob like me and buy real equipment and seek the holy grail do so with all force. Dont buy into the deal of the month or some cheesy advertising or so called longtimers who make idiot statments like digital is way better then vinyl. :-)

[pshuttle]

Well I have to say that my Epos M12.2 speakers (Retail $1000) have both better cleaner and more responsive bass than my old Tannoy R3 floorstanders (but they also are superior in the mids to highs too). I was suprised at that but it just goes to show that a high quality speaker can suprise you.

If you are pairing it up with a subwoofer then I would go for a decent set of bookshelves.

Why don't you just go to the stores and have a listen?

Pete

[shokhead]

Many owners like myself never go out and say how much better there stuff is they just reply to such comments as " My Paradigm Studio 40 sounds soo real" "Or thos ***** speakers are this and that"------ we just smile and respond which then usually causes the otherside to attack the only possible section which is the prize.

LOL, anyway. Bottom line, if you wanna be a so called snob like me and buy real equipment and seek the holy grail do so with all force. Dont buy into the deal of the month or some cheesy advertising or so called longtimers who make idiot statments like digital is way better then vinyl. :-)

LMAO.Your right about the Vinyl. Oh how i miss the crack and hiss,it twas music to my ears.

[spacedeckman]

LMAO.Your right about the Vinyl. Oh how i miss the crack and hiss,it twas music to my ears.

Funny. I played 3 records last night and didn't even have a "pop". And my vinyl rig has "taken out" some stupidly expensive digital...in my system. And the most "stupidly expensive digital" was the best digital I have ever heard...incredibly good.

But, back to the original point. For the added sounstage depth and width, and improved sound quality, I'll take a few pops and clicks.

Space

BTW, I'm a bookshelf speaker fanatic until the price gets uncomfortably high. Lower priced floorstanders tend to be tuned incorrectly, bloating the bass, and often have resonance issues that color the sound. I also consistently get better imaging from bookshelf speakers. There have been few exceptions on this point.

[accastil]

hi, id go for a full range floorstander..the incorporation of the low level freqs are not as good when using a subwoofer as compared when it is being reproduced in majority by the mains...i am speaking most especially during stereo music listening. try auditioning a Mordaunt Short 502 THX. this one has excellent mid/highs and the internal active subwoofer would definitely satisfy your soul...you may view ratings as well coming from its owners.

[shokhead]

hi, id go for a full range floorstander..the incorporation of the low level freqs are not as good when using a subwoofer as compared when it is being reproduced in majority by the mains...i am speaking most especially during stereo music listening. try auditioning a Mordaunt Short 502 THX. this one has excellent mid/highs and the internal active subwoofer would definitely satisfy your soul...you may view ratings as well coming from its owners.

Low level freqs are not as good when using a sub as mains? Better rethink that and do some listening with some better subs.

[T BOMB25]

I will 2nd the Epos M12.2,the best balanced speaker I've heard for under $4000.

[audiomadness]

But wont a good sub let those bookshelfs min bass open up?

Again, it depends on the bookshelf speakers. If you get good quality bookshelves with a decent frequency response, I don't think you would need a sub at all, unless you listen to really bass heavy music. Personally, I prefer Bookshelves because I can tailor the height of speaker drivers to the height of my ears through solid stands and run 'em full range. It all really depends on you preferences.

[audio_dude]

I just recently purchased a set of mission M35 speakers for $1000 cdn taxes incl. they sound supurb and the have a softdome tweeter!!! (girlish squeal) there are they have three woofers, but I was told one was like passive or just kinda there or something, but these can esily fill just my 20x13 foot room, or the whole house with sound! so, just a small recomendation from me

[shokhead]

Again, it depends on the bookshelf speakers. If you get good quality bookshelves with a decent frequency response, I don't think you would need a sub at all, unless you listen to really bass heavy music. Personally, I prefer Bookshelves because I can tailor the height of speaker drivers to the height of my ears through solid stands and run 'em full range. It all really depends on you preferences.

Even floorstanders are set to small in the receiver setup and there not many floorstanders that dont need a sub so there's even less bookshelfs that dont need a sub. Speakers for clean highs and midrange and some bass and a sub to free up the speakers to do that. You want tweeters at ear level and my floorstanders are on small stands to do that. It does depend on your perference but why not get the most out of your speakers?

[audiomadness]

Even floorstanders are set to small in the receiver setup and there not many floorstanders that dont need a sub so there's even less bookshelfs that dont need a sub. Speakers for clean highs and midrange and some bass and a sub to free up the speakers to do that. You want tweeters at ear level and my floorstanders are on small stands to do that. It does depend on your perference but why not get the most out of your speakers?

I assure you, I do get the most out of my Bookshelves by standmounting them with 40lb stands(filled with sand) with brass spikes coupled to brass isolator cups and my speaker decoupled from the stands with "Blu-Tac". What I am merely saying is that I don't need a sub for the kind of music I listen to( Jazz and vocals) because I personally don't like using a sub for critical music listening, but that's just me.

[Bernd]

I assure you, I do get the most out of my Bookshelves by standmounting them with 40lb stands(filled with sand) with brass spikes coupled to brass isolator cups and my speaker decoupled from the stands with "Blu-Tac". What I am merely saying is that I don't need a sub for the kind of music I listen to( Jazz and vocals) because I personally don't like using a sub for critical music listening, but that's just me.

And me.Totaly agree with you here. A proper designed speaker, and care taken in placement, will give you all your musical wants. I found that when the speaker is lacking quality that subs are added.

Bernd

[shokhead]

And me.Totaly agree with you here. A proper designed speaker, and care taken in placement, will give you all your musical wants. I found that when the speaker is lacking quality that subs are added.

Bernd

I agree. So with this proper setup,40 pound stands, perfect for the vocals and jazz and plays the cleanest bass that a bookshelf can play loud enough to be useful down to 35Hz. Thats a great setup. To bad anything under 35 is gone. Thats where a sub would help. Hey,you adjust so that sub doesnt kick in until needed. A great set of bookshelf will be my next speaklers, with a good sub because they will need it. It just makes those great speakers better.

[audiomadness]

I agree. So with this proper setup,40 pound stands, perfect for the vocals and jazz and plays the cleanest bass that a bookshelf can play loud enough to be useful down to 35Hz. Thats a great setup. To bad anything under 35 is gone. Thats where a sub would help. Hey,you adjust so that sub doesnt kick in until needed. A great set of bookshelf will be my next speaklers, with a good sub because they will need it. It just makes those great speakers better.

Hey, I see we have differences in opinions here.... but that's what makes this hobbie so much fun, my friend!!

While I won't argue with you about a sub helping out past 35hz and into the subterranean levels, it's great for movies no doubt, but I don't really assign value to a region your ears cannot hear very well on a musical level. You can definitely feel it though since it's a lot of forced air. Again, for me it's critical music listening that I'm aiming at. I guess depending on my mood and I wanted to go past 35hz to get a good chest thumping, then I would definitely re-hook up my old beloved Cerwin Vegas that I've had for 10 years.