Are tower speakers a better choice for big L shaped room (versus bookshelf w/o sub)?

pyrocyborg

Hi!

I know that it's a long wall of text, and if you don't mind skipping some contextual information, you could read the last two paragraphs.

Well, I know there isn't any kind of certainty when it comes to speakers and audio, but here's my dilemma and I think I would need your experience to get a better idea:

In a few months, I will move to another apartment building, which means, a new living room. One thing is clear: the living room will be (again, and again) an open area with the kitchen and dinning room, meaning that the room itself is gonna be huge. Probably over 350-400 sq ft in a "L shaped" maner, or another kind of weird shape.

Right now, I'm using my LSi7 (alone, no sub) in that kind of living room. While it sounds "okay" at the sweet spot, I guess it's nowhere as good as it would if I had a smaller or dedicated listening room. There is no way my LSi7 can fill the room without being overwhelming when listening at 10 feet from the speakers at high volume level or missing something at lower volume level (bass, especially, as you would already know).

Thus, I asked myself if a pair of quality floorstanding speakers (paired with my poor NAD326 @ 50w) could do the trick and give the sound a better overall "presence" and quality, even at background level. I mean, there is no way that kind of speaker can sound tiny, or constricted even in a large room, isn't? In the past, I even heard some tower speakers driven by mid-range receivers being able to fill a small house with sound. I can't testify if the sound was good or not, but sure thing, I think it was able to properly fill the room... better than what my LSi7 currently do (or did with my REL sub) in a smaller room.

I know, from experience, that my bookshelf speakers, even when paired with a sub, never sounded complete in that kind of large room (three different living room in the last few years). As I can't get a sub (neighbours will hate me... could even kick me out of the building!), I do not have a lot of options: a pair of bookshelf speakers alone in a large room, or tower speakers.

I know a good pair of bookshelf with a good sub can sound amazing when properly integrated and in a ideal room, but I don't think it'll be possible considering my room won't be ideal, and that I can't use a sub in this new appartment.

Considering that I will probably move again in the next years, and that my living room is always likely to be on the "big" size, would a pair of tower speakers be a tad more "future proof" and "living room friendly" than a pair of bookshelf speakers, even larger ones like the LSiM 703? ... or is it completly dependant on the speaker itself and speaker placement and thus, not something I should bet on? BTW, I'm into stereo music more than movies.

tonyb

Everything you mentioned matters. LSI7's don't belong in a large room even with a sub imho anyway. Some old RT55I's, a much bigger bookie would work with a sub.

Floorstanders would be my preference, plus you can always add a sub later if you wanted to. Like we say, no replacement for displacement. Myself and a few more around here are big speaker kind of guys. We like the sense of scope and huge dynamics. Something a bookie just can't seem to deliver.

rpf65

If the only issue is bass, get a SVS SB1000, and keep the volume knob a little on the low side. A sub shouldn't really bother the neighbors, unless you crank it up. And if concrete floors, add a sub-dude to help out a little more.

If there are other issues with sound, let us know.

tonyb

If your neighbors will hate a subwoofer, what makes you think they'll dig floorstanders throwing out sound to fill the joint ? Sounds to me you may be better off with multiple smaller speakers around the house that you can play at reasonable volumes and still fill the house with music.

pyrocyborg

Thanks youi both for your fast answers.

@tonyb: Sure thing, a bigger pair of bookshelf speakers could help, but here again, it would probably need a sub to give the same scope than a pair of tower speakers. I'm not looking for thundering bass and adding a sub could help without being being annoying, but I've been able to properly set a sub considering there is always some factors to keep in mind in that kind of living room (e.g. other furniture which could already placed at the subwoofer's best spot; WAF; etc.) and that's what botters me the most.

Also, considering that a sub and a good pair of heavy bookies with stands (fillable and heavy, which I do not have for my LSi7) can cost just a little bit less than towers, maybe tower speakers are the best bet... especially if I do not "need" anything that goes lower than 40 Hz, at least, not everyday.

Also, I do like your idea of having more sets of speakers, but I don't like having to wire everything in a temporary place (few years at best), and I'm looking for a good sound in my living room, not necessarily in the kitchen (might be nice, but in no way necessary). My parents had that kind of setup, and it served them well.

@rpf65 : that sub do look nice, but I'll probably have to get some bigger bookshelf speakers to start with.

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However, I do not plan on getting any new electronics. I've read that you can drive "efficient" tower speakers with a minimal amount of watts with a few more during peaks. Would my 50 wpc 4 ohm compatible NAD be "okay" for background to normal listening level (i.e. 85 dB or so)? I guess I'll have to test it, but it couldn't be as bad as relying on a mid range receiver? Big box store here carry the new LSiM line (both 703 and 705), which I could probably easily demo for a few days. Can't say the same for the other dealers around here : I they do not have a demo product ready, you have to pay the full price to "try" their speakers, and there is no refund if it doesn't fit in your room, or if it doesn't sound as good in your house.

I do not have a lot of choice... :P

aboroth00

A tower speaker will extend lower than a bookshelf speaker. Nothing more. As for future proofing, it's future proof as long as you don't have the itch to upgrade. Usually you can get more for your money with a bookshelf speaker as you'll be able to purchase one line up vs. the comparably priced floorstander.

I wouldn't be so antagonistic toward having a sub. A sub is basically the bass section of a floorstanding speaker so it won't necessarily transmit more energy to annoy your neighbors. Yes subs do require more effort to setup, i.e. placement, EQ, measurements.

Two speakers will interact similarly in a given room in a given placement given that their dispersion characteristics are similar. No design tower vs bookshelf will yield benefits toward a given room shape. So effectively the answer is no.

pyrocyborg

... or would I need to get some very efficient tower speakers (i.e. 93 dB @ 1w and 1m and more) to use my small NAD amp? I know big bass-heavy tower speakers like RTiA9 really like power (50-500w recommanded power) and need, according to most people, at least 100 or 150w to sound at their best, but what about smaller "not that efficient" towers like RTiA7 (20-300w) or LSiM705 (20-250w)? Could a 50w amp drive them at a reasonnable level (around 85 dB and maximum 90m dB) in a large room, or would it be a no-no?

aboroth00

pyrocyborg wrote: »

... or would I need to get some very efficient tower speakers (i.e. 93 dB @ 1w and 1m and more) to use my small NAD amp? I know big bass-heavy tower speakers like RTiA9 really like power (50-500w recommanded power) and need, according to most people, at least 100 or 150w to sound at their best, but what about smaller "not that efficient" towers like RTiA7 (20-300w) or LSiM705 (20-250w)? Could a 50w amp drive them at a reasonnable level (around 85 dB and maximum 90m dB) in a large room, or would it be a no-no?

Power handling has nothing to do with efficiency. So if a speaker can handle more wattage, great, it'll play to a louder max SPL.

Yes a 50 watt amp will reasonably drive those speakers. Wattage may not necessarily be a concern, but the amp's current or ability to drive difficult loads. The NAD will perform admirably there. If you listen to around 90db you'll probably never have problems.

don0

Maybe hearing problems if listening at 90db very much.

aboroth00

don0 wrote: »

Maybe hearing problems if listening at 90db very much.

Maybe ...

pyrocyborg

Haha :P

Thanks for your answers and sorry, I could answer back the last few days.

Well, I rarely sit in front if I ever get it up to 90dB. I do not need more headaches and/or increased tinnitus.

If a larger bookshelf like the RT55i's can do well in a bigger than usual room, how would bookshelf speakers like the LSi9 or LSim703 compare? I know LSiM703 do not dig as low as the old RT55i could do at the same volume (47 Hz @ -3 dB, versus 50 Hz @ -3 dB), but their frequency responses are roughly the same in the lower range. Would they fill a room the same way the RT55i could do if we take in consideration that lower frequencies would be handled by a subwoofer?

pyrocyborg

Hi again!

I'm trying to find a pair of floorstanding speakers under 2k that are big enough to fill an average to large room (See plan: Speakers would be located at the bottom of the 11'x14' living room... but this area opens to a 9'x11' dinning room area, a 8'x9' kitchen and a small hallway). The fact that there is no walls or doors except near the bathroom or the bedrooms (three smaller rooms at the bottom of the plan), might not help, isn't?

I mean, I do not know how it will sound, but sure thing, even if the listening area is limited to the 11'x14' "room", sound will go here and there and there is nothing I can do: would a pair of tower speakers be able to pressurise the listening area correctly at a lower to moderate volume level, or is it impossible considering that it will have to fill something like 450 sq ft (if we consider the kitchen area, the dinning room, the living room and the hallway)?

One thing is sure, small bookshelf probably won't cut it...