Bookshelf speakers on their sides

[kurtkrum]

Getting ready to buy a set of bookshelf speakers and wondering what the impact of laying the speakers on their sides on a bookshelf. Will this significantly mess up the sound quality? I have built in bookshelves that sit on top of larger base cabinets (see pic).

I am considering the Monoprice K-Bas speakers. Any others I should consider? I am budgeting about $500 each speaker.

Will also be buying a couple subwoofers and a slim center channel to place in the room as well.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Hetfield]

It depends on the speaker but in general yes it messes things up. Now RSL MTM CG25 and CG23 are designed to be used either way. I'm sure there are other examples but these are 2 that I know of.

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[lovinthehd]

Maybe look at the Hsu CCB-8s, doesn't matter on orientation IIRC. Other coaxial designs could be interesting, too. Some speakers are designed to be more upright than others. I have some bookshelves with waveguides that can be rotated, but I prefer not to if I can but I wouldn't say it significantly messes them up on the sides, tho.

 

[ryanosaur]

It can have a negative impact. The extent of which can only be determined by measurements, but it will usually result in more extreme suckouts in FR which will diminish their ability to image the way they should. If you look at most Speaker measurements the vertical and horizontal dispersion characteristics are carefully engineered, but switch them and you have a completely different beast.

 

[ryanosaur]

Maybe look at the Hsu CCB-8s, doesn't matter on orientation IIRC. Other coaxial designs could be interesting, too. Some speakers are designed to be more upright than others. I have some bookshelves with waveguides that can be rotated, but I prefer not to if I can but I wouldn't say it significantly messes them up on the sides, tho.

This.
A coaxial design for a 2-way speaker is different. This will not be affected in the same manner as a 2-way design with separate distinct drivers.

 

[lovinthehd]

This.
A coaxial design for a 2-way speaker is different. This will not be affected in the same manner as a 2-way design with separate distinct drivers.

That said, I also have the JBL 530 and on their sides now (rear surrounds), so not any kind of critical listening issues, but with their horn JBL advised it wouldn't be particularly bad on their sides generally.

 

[-Jim-]

I have HSU CCB-8s for the fronts in our Atmos system, and use one on it's side as the Center. Sounds great. All the reviews advise that as well.

 

[Pandaman617]

I have 3 Mirage HDT-F’s that are engineered to be used both vertically and horizontally. That being said I do personally think they sound exponentially better when used vertically.

 

[ryanosaur]

I have 3 Mirage HDT-F’s that are engineered to be used both vertically and horizontally. That being said I do personally think they sound exponentially better when used vertically.

That's a very interesting design. At first I figured they would just be MTMs, but that diagonal approach is something I haven't seen anybody else do. It would be cool to see measurements of those.

 

[Shanman]

Check out KEF Q150 or Q350 models. Currently on sale many places for good prices and would work vertically or horizontally. Come in black, white, and walnut finishes.

 

[Pandaman617]

That's a very interesting design. At first I figured they would just be MTMs, but that diagonal approach is something I haven't seen anybody else do. It would be cool to see measurements of those.

They’re definitely cool speakers, from a time when Mirage was still made in Canada and Andrew Welker and Ian Paisley were still there before Klipsch killed them off but not before moving production to China. Don’t get me wrong I love my OMD’s but they were the singular good series to come out of quite a few years of Chinese production. When I have measured them they have excellent on and off axis performance with a slight elevation in the midrange and that’s with the midrange and high range boost toggles set to “normal.”

 

[Hetfield]

That said, I also have the JBL 530 and on their sides now (rear surrounds), so not any kind of critical listening issues, but with their horn JBL advised it wouldn't be particularly bad on their sides generally.

Oh wow JBL said it shouldn't effect the sound for the 530s on their side. I was thinking of trying one for a center channel at some point.

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[ryanosaur]

I have HSU CCB-8s for the fronts in our Atmos system, and use one on it's side as the Center. Sounds great. All the reviews advise that as well.

I've always been intrigued by these. I know Shady is a fan of them, too. By all accounts, for a small standmount, these are very good little Speakers!

 

[lovinthehd]

Oh wow JBL said it shouldn't effect the sound for the 530s on their side. I was thinking of trying one for a center channel at some point.

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I didn't say "shouldn't effect"....nor did they.

 

[Hetfield]

I didn't say "shouldn't effect"....nor did they.

Ok got ya.

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[zieglj01]

Getting ready to buy a set of bookshelf speakers and wondering what the impact of laying the speakers on their sides on a bookshelf. Will this significantly mess up the sound quality? I have built in bookshelves that sit on top of larger base cabinets (see pic).

I am considering the Monoprice K-Bas speakers. Any others I should consider? I am budgeting about $500 each speaker.

Will also be buying a couple subwoofers and a slim center channel to place in the room as well.

Thanks in advance!

Some speakers are not designed to work good both vertical and horizontal

Look at some KEF Q series speakers ... or the HSU CCB-8 speakers

 

[shadyJ]

Most speakers would have badly degraded horizontal axis response by being placed on their side. They would sound the same but only at a single point: directly ahead of the tweeter. Some speakers are OK with a side placement, specifically coaxial speakers like the aforementioned KEF or Hsu speakers.

 

[slipperybidness]

I have often been surprised at how often I see bookshelf speakers on their sides in actual production recording studios.

I have never really dug into this, checked to see if particular designs I have seen are engineered to work the same in either config, etc.

All I'm saying is that I have seen this fairly often in a recording studio setting.