2way vs 3way speakers: different or is one "better"

So much of this has to do with getting the right bass in the room.

A smaller 2-way in an untreated room can often sound a lot cleaner and more balanced. Here’s a blog where I wrote about my 6.5" 2-way:

https://speakermakersjourney.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-snr-1-room-response-and-roon.html



If your room sounds good, a 3-way speaker, or 2-way with sub, have some real advantages. Pulling the bass off the midrange driver reduces IM distortion, offering much more transparency in the midrange, but the extra bass extension may sound bad in the wrong room, and end up leaving the final experience feeling very unbalanced.


In the middle of these options one of the most popular formats is the 2.5 way speaker. Small footprint. plenty of bass, and dynamic range.

It's all in the choice of drivers and the implementation.  There's no intrinsic "better".

The beauty of a book shelf speaker is the small cabinet which can really make the " box " disappear. I am reluctant to recommend a three way in a bookshelf. If you go with a bookshelf make sure the midrange is really satisfying, if it is you won't find yourself lusting after more bass. The common complaint on speakers, almost all speakers. If you find one that is easy to drive the you should if possible consider a small output tube amp. Don't buy the hype that all tube amps sound great, so you really want to make sure the tube amp gives you the wonderful midrange that is possible. 

Good luck
Jim