Positioning Speakers Horizontally?

[boxermike]

What is the impact of postioning a bookshelf speaker horizontally? Do to cabinet restraints I would need to have the speakers on their side. I'm thinking of using B&W DM602's or Paradigm reference Studio 20's or whatever will work best in my situation. I have room along side the monitor, I am better off using in-wall's? Using for HT and music (60/40). I appreciate any advise or quidance you can offer.

Thanks, Mike

Yamaha RV-x2500
Denon 2910
PDP-5040

 

[JohnA]

You do what you NEED to do...but you might end up with poor off-axis response....If you have to place speakers on the side, have the tweeter towads the wall, this helps with reflections.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Very little

In comparison, center channel speakers are basically chopped off towers on their sides. They sound great on their sides. I wouldn't lose sleep over the fact your bookshelves are on their sides. Speaker drivers are round, and their dispursion won't change. What's more important is the port. If they are ported (bass reflex), you'll need ample space behind the speaker. Positioning is also a factor. Angle them in too much, and you'll lose the sweet spot. The closer to ear level you can get the tweeter, the better the sweet spot will be. If sideways placement of the bookshelves brings the tweeter closer to ear level, you are that much closer to perfecting the almost impossible speaker placement issue.

 

[MacManNM]

Both of the previous posts are correct. The off axis response will change with them on their side, more one direction than the other. It won't be much. The rear of the speakers need some space behind them if they are vented in the rear.

 

[silversurfer]

Because rooms are often wider than they are tall, and listening positions vary within the horizontal space, speakers are usually designed to limit vertical dispersion to lessen the reflections from the floor and ceiling. Good horizontal dispertion also helps with imaging. Most direct radiating loudspeakers have a wide horizontal radiation pattern and a more narrow vertical dispersion pattern.

So if you turn a speaker that is meant to be vertical on its side, without attempting to change the dispersion pattern, it usually will have a negative affect.

Another key factor is the front baffle of the speaker and how it affects the dispersion and imaging. Usually, slimmer(vertical) front baffles have better imaging due to the smaller reflection surface.

Do a google search on "horizontal vertical dispersion speaker" and you will find a lot of good information.

 

[Tex-amp]

If they have a diffusion "lens" on the tweeter you are changing the pattern from side to side to up and down. Also if you have two or more drivers and set it on side you can encounter lobing issues. Lobing is when the sound from one driver reaches your ears before the same sound from the other driver does and "smearing" or mudding the sound occurs.