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Bookshelf Speakers that have to be up against the wall

My very first posting, so be gentle. Looking to upgrade my bookshelf speakers, say to a max of 3k or so. I have an old mcintosh amp and pre. plenty of power. I now have to put my speakers against the wall and the ported ones I have now don’t ‘bloom’ now, they sound a bit muffled - they lost most of their imaging. I think because they are ported in the back also aside from being against the wall. I’d like to hear from anyone who has had that problem and recommendations from those with knowledge of solving this issue.
128x128deadhead1000
auxinput
2,920 posts
 
Yes, it is true that putting speakers so close to the back wall would affect sound. Google "speaker boundary interference response" (SBIR) for more reading on this, but the general idea is if a speaker is too close to a wall, it will use the wall to "plane" or "bloom" the wave forms generated from the speaker drivers.

Also, like Erik said, do not get a speaker with a rear port if you are going to push it up against the wall. Make sure it has a front port.
deadhead1000's avatar
deadhead1000 OP
714 posts
 
Thanks for the input so far. The speakers are actually not on a bookcase, more like sitting on a cabinet, so a nice solid surface, I can move them out perhaps a foot, but cannot put stands in front of the cabinet. I’ll see how much that helps. 
jond's avatar
jond
5,856 posts
 
Audio Note AN-K sealed cabinets and designed to be placed in a corner or against a wall. Should be around your budget.
erik_squires
16,197 posts
 
Also, like Erik said, do not get a speaker with a rear port if you are going to push it up against the wall. Make sure it has a front port.


Actually I was being a little more nuanced than this. Designing a speaker to be on a counter, near a wall requires a different crossover than one designed to be out in the room.
In a close space like that we can forego the baffle steep compensation in the crossover which yields a higher efficiency design. The trouble is, the speaker out in free air will sound thin.

Another option is to use a professional, powered monitor which lets you dial in the amount of bass.

tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
Vandersteen VLR signature- crossover, drivers, cabinet designed for close mounting to wall, starting with coaxial driver.
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