Simply curious. Room size being relative–for example, my room is large but sort of L-shaped in an odd way, and I’m sitting nearer to my speakers than anything else–at what listening distance do you think floorstanders become necessary?
I sit about 8 feet from my speakers and have always had floorstanders. I’m starting to wonder if I would be just as happy at that distance with a nicer pair of stand mounts and a sub, but I sort of wonder since I’m so used to that “big sound.”
Just sort of curious if distance plays as large a part in everyone’s decision making as I assume.
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Tower speakers don’t need stands and they play louder and lower usually than a bookshelf speaker. Towers for me 100%. And a good subwoofer with either towers or bookshelf speakers.
7-8ft is pretty good. im at 7ish. my room is 13x16. you will be even more pleased adding a couple of subs to go with your floorstanders. forget some lil bookshelves.
i would not go to bookshelves after having had floorstanders. jmo. i went to them because i like big ass speakers for the scale and heft of music they provide.
I really like my floorstanders at least 3m apart. With an analogue listening position.
If I were to use bookshelves, probably 2m… at least 1.5
8 feet is pretty close, so probably not (much?) more than 8 feet :)
None. I went from sub and standmounts to floorstanders, then back to standmounts only. I will not go back to floorstanders and I most definitely will not get a sub again. Get the standmounts that suit your room and you will never look back :-)
Plus they look soooooo much better.
I have a stereo “triangle” — floor standing PSB Synchrony Ones, 10’ apart, towed in, my listening sweet spot 7.5’ from the center. Bliss.
9 feet for me
I’ve tried several floorstanders and even more bookshelves in my room. My best bookshelves just never sound as large as the floorstanders, though they beat some smaller models. Haven’t messed with a sub, rather not deal with the setup when I’ve got floorstanders that make me feel I don’t need one.
Bookshelves sound great in my bedroom though. I’d say room size is the biggest factor.
Speaker width = listening distance, or slightly less if the center image isn’t locked in.
This. Equilateral triangle with the three points being the speakers and the listener’s head. Of course this isn’t gospel, but more often than not it’s a great start.
Here’s a good write up. The title is misleading as an equilateral triangle is the way to go - the author is simply explaining the concept behind it and the right way.
4 feet, really only prefer bookshelves for a desk setup
8 feet.
8 feet.
Floor standers in one room, vinyl and streaming, walls semi-treated, speakers 10’ apart, sitting position 9’ from speakers, great sound, no critical listening, good for cranking when needed. Lots of fun.
Main rig in a dedicated treated room, 26 absorption/diffuser panels, vinyl only, speakers on stands, 8.5’ apart, 11’ to listening position, no sub, huge dynamic sound, a Vanessa Fernandez is sitting in my lap goose bumps experience.
My floors stander are 2.5 times larger but are not capable of producing the same musical experience for several reasons. Front end, amp, TT, cables aren’t as nice.
It really comes down to the master tapes, your front end’s ability to play what’s been recorded, speaker placement (tweak until you get it right, then continue to tweak, sometimes this is all it takes), room size, wall treatments and the big one, amp/speaker synergy. This is a killer.
Not really something I worry about. I’ve been just as happy with small bookshelf speakers, as with 4 woofer floor standers. Current speakers I’m using are large bookshelf (Linton heritage) and they’re fine in my open plan house. That’s what the volume knob is for!
I have to space any speakers about 15 ft apart, which effects separation and focus, but fortunately can compensate somewhat with my amp having a balance setting. I sit between 7 and 10 ft away and never turn my amp up fully. Half to 2/3s is plenty.