When deciding on better audio for your home, there are several factors to consider. Sound quality is paramount but also keep in mind things like space, aesthetic appeal, and budget. Here we break down the details to help you choose between bookshelf vs tower speakers and enjoy that blockbuster action flick or new rock album to its fullest.
Floor or Shelf: Which One Wins?
Though there’s more than one perspective to consider, if your priority is audio, tower speakers win by a long shot. But bookshelf speakers have their advantages, especially for apartment dwellers.
Space
Of course, the primary concern should be sound quality. But there are other things to consider when making the decision of which speaker works best for your home.
By nature, tower speakers are larger, both in the unit’s overall size and the speaker’s surface area. So be sure you have the space in your living room to set them up. A pair of good tower speakers can match the height and sometimes the width of another piece of furniture.
There will be a limited space (such as on either side of your couch) where you can set them up and get good results. Once they rest somewhere, it will be inconvenient to move later and detrimental to the output if you try.
That said, the advantage of having a speaker with ear-level sound is critical. When you’re lounging on the couch watching a movie, it’s nice to have the audio on the same horizontal plane to experience total depth and range.
Sound Quality
Most audiophiles are aware that a tower speaker, i.e. a sizeable box-shaped device that sits on the floor, provides better bass volume than its shelved counterpart. For that thumping rap beat, it can be fun to hear dishes rattle and feel furniture tingle.
But due to the larger size of a speaker on the floor – as well as the space inside