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Can you get "bookshelf sound" from a floorstander?

Listened to B&W's 6 series and much prefered the 686 and 685 to the more expensive floorstanders. I'm a junkie for clear and coherent vocals and the floorstanders seemed to muddy the sound.
Listened to Dynaudio Focus 110s and loved them. Compared them to the Contour 5.4s and I loved the top end of them even more than the Focus' but was again bothered by what I want to call an incoherence... lack of focus... integration... with the low end.

Owned Totem Arros and Dreamcatcher monitors with Dreamcatcher sub and prefered the dreamcatcher monitors over the Arros and without the sub, too.

Am I just a bookshelf guy? Was it my choice of floorstanders? Setup? Anyone have better words to describe what I'm trying to say? I certainly love the low end and dynamic grunt of the big ones but not at such expense.
eyediver
tvad
9,467 posts
 
I also have Preludes in my gym. That one's a bit of a stretch. A good speaker and great value, but not a substitute for a top shelf monitor.

Marty
Martykl (Reviews | Threads | Answers)
I never claimed they were a substitute for a top shelf monitor, and since the OP mentioned Totem Dreamcatchers, I didn't think his target comparison was a top shelf monitor...just the bookshelf "monitor sound" in general.

But anyway, I'll retract the Prelude suggestion.
biznus97
8 posts
 
In my experience, bookshelves are sometimes able to "fit" in rooms that may cause bass/imaging balance issues for more full range floorstanders/speakers. I just went through this in my place. In my situation bookshelf speakers are working better against some of my room's challenges. I've had my floorstanders in other rooms and they've performed great (so I'm not getting rid of them ;) ). But for right now I am going to bookshelves until I'm in rooms better suited for my floorstanders.
bokfudo
58 posts
 
I own a pair of Proac 2.5

They are a 2 way and very competent design that is rated 20 HZ to 30 Khz, nice small footprint and very musical. Almost like a good monitor but with floorstander bass and only 2 drivers.

I had them on auction recently but the buyer flaked. I may have a back up buyer but if there is interest let me know.

Cheers
celtic66
990 posts
 
I know the sound. I spent considerable time with Audio Physics floorstanders and found them to do the disappearing act better than any other floorstander I've heard. Of course they do the very slim line cabinet thing to accomplish this.

They get the vocals, acoustic piano and bass right.
shadorne's avatar
shadorne
7,333 posts
 
Two way bookshelves are often best value in the under 5K category. For some reason you need to go quite expensive to get equivalent clarity in a large three way. It may be a masking effect, bass notes masking higher frequencies so it is best to go for a speaker with very tight musical bass or you will lose some clarity. Remember that most bigger floor standers are intended to impress customers with overwhelming deep extended bass.

I agree with Marty about the Merlin VSM.
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