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bookshelf vs tower

382 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Aerlith, 
E
Is there any reason to buy a tower speaker over a bookshelf of equal specs?


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Evan Adams

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You won't have to purchase a stand for the tower speaker. In most price ranges, I prefer the sound of sub/sat setups vs. tower speakers. Another thing to mention is that I have yet to hear a floor standing speaker that could not be helped out by adding a dedicated subwoofer. FWIW...


Greg

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I started out looking at B&W Nautilus 805s, planning to use my sub with them, crossing over at 50hz or so. The price (with B&W stands) was $2,600. I wound up with 804s, crossing over at 35hz. The price was $3,500. I feel that the midrange (the same "FST" midrange driver used in the 801) is better handled in the 804 than the 805. So, for me, the midrange was the determining factor. Also, most subs can handle 20-35hz better than 20-50hz. Either way, I'd use a sub.
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So is it really only worth spending more on towers if you are not going to have a sub? And if you are going to get towers it is only worth it to get the big old expensive ones?


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Evan Adams

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speaker stands have a difference in quality? Wha? I thought I could just throw them on some cardboard boxes or something?


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Evan Adams

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The quality of stand used with a mini-monitor can make a substantial difference in sound quality. That's why I was going to get the ($600) B&W stands to go with the ($2,000) 805s. As far as I'm concerned, good mini-monitors deserve good stands.
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So then what makes a good stand?


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Evan Adams

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1. A good stand has enough mass/rigidity to preclude the coupled speaker from reacting to the motion of it's drivers as it produces sound.

2. A good stand elevates the associated speaker to it's proper height above the ground.

3. A good stand does not resonate or produce any other sound of it's own. (an internal chamber for sand or lead shot filling works well here)

4. A good stand will still not prevent your small son from ramming a pencil through your new ProAc tweeter.


On the tower vs. satellite question, one other possible factor to consider is wave launch- a larger number of drivers or similar approach in the tower will produce a different soundfield, which you may or may not approve of. A small mini-monitor will often have a sharply focused point source type of wave launch, with a greatly detailed sound field. This appears to be related to the small baffle area and small radiating area of the principal drivers, though some will also point to the power response of typical 2-way systems. Some folks dislike the resultant "miniaturization" of sound, and prefer the larger apparent size of images in the tower, albeit with less precision of placement. This is an approximation, of course, as some of the better speakers out there seem to rise above their physical configurations in an amazing fashion. My $.02...


-Aerlith
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