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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
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.
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
As is the VLR without carbon tweeter

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
deadhead1000
Bookshelf Speakers that have to be up against the wall

All Linn speakers, back in the old days, Sara, Isobraric, Kan ect were voiced to be hard up against the wall, maybe the new ones do too?
Cheers George
tomic601's avatar
tomic601
12,940 posts
 
But in general the astute speaker designer can design a great sounding speaker for near wall placement by altering polar response, the crossover, the placement of the tweeter and as Eric importantly noted the filter network, will it ever get to the Millercarbon ideal of 3-5’ out into the room ? Maybe... really depends on many variables, including how the ear brain works. A really nice floor stander w pretty good imaging is the Nordic Larson and as I mentioned Vandersteen, there are others.
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