Shelf Acoustics

Limited space? There is a way out!

Shelf speakers are speakers for home use that are compact in size and designed to be placed on a shelf, table or other elevated surface. They are specifically designed to maximize sound in small rooms, so if you have a small room, a bookshelf speaker will suffice, especially if most of your listening takes place in the near field, or near the speakers. Shelf speakers are used for home entertainment and can be used to create a surround sound system for home theater or surround music listening.

Before we get into the specifics of shelf speakers, it's important to understand the difference between them and studio monitors. They are similar, but shelf speakers have a more general purpose – they can be listened to from different distances, far or near, while studio monitors are heard at shorter distances, in a studio recording environment. For greater convenience and lower overall cost, studio monitors are most often active speakers, with a built-in amplifier to produce the sound you need, and have the connections necessary in studio environments.

Shelf speakers are usually small enough to fit on an ordinary bookshelf. Because of their small size, most shelf speakers are two-way speakers with a tweeter and a woofer. Although the speakers can be placed on a shelf, they will sound better on racks. They lack deep bass, but some models, when combined with a subwoofer, can create a very large and convincing sound. Using a bookshelf speaker with a good subwoofer can produce a sound close to that of a large floorstanding speaker. This combination usually gives more flexibility in speaker placement, which can be useful for those who regularly move from one location to another. Adding a subwoofer can take the load of low frequencies off the smaller speakers, which improves the sound of the midrange. If you want the full range of live sound, you should get a good subwoofer in addition to your shelf speakers.

How to choose shelf speakers?

1. Wired vs wireless speakers

The first decision you have to make is very simple: do you want a pair of wired or wireless speakers? This is a matter of both convenience and sound quality. A pair of wired speakers should be connected to a stereo amplifier with an acoustic wire. The amplifier will carry the audio signal to the speakers, as well as provide them with power for playback. A pair of wireless speakers have their own built-in amplifiers, which means you don't have to connect them to anything other than a power supply.

2. Sound quality of bookshelf speakers

In general, the standards of shelf speakers today are exceptionally high. While it's rare to find a pair that doesn't sound satisfactory, it's important to know their limitations before you buy. For their small size, shelf speakers have a limited number of speakers. Usually there are no more than two: a tweeter for the high frequencies and a speaker for the mids and lows. Shelf speakers are not large enough or powerful enough to reproduce powerful bass. While conventional speakers can provide enough bass for the average listener, they simply cannot offer the full-sounding bass frequencies often found in EDM, heavy metal, or hip-hop.

3. Size

Bigger speakers don't mean better sound, they provide more volume. Bigger size means more space for the amplification circuitry if the speaker is active, as well as larger speakers. If you appreciate loudness, you might want to consider large shelf speakers. But they are heavy and bulky.

4. Volume and sensitivity

To understand how loud your potential speakers will be, pay attention to a parameter known as sensitivity. This is a measure of how many decibels (dB) you get when a certain level of power is passed through the speaker. Anything below 86 dB is considered low volume, 87-95 dB is considered medium volume, and anything above 95 dB is considered high volume.

Buy bookshelf speakers at our stores

If you do not have the space or budget for large floor-standing speakers, shelf speakers, especially in combination with a good subwoofer, can be an excellent solution. You can buy bookshelf acoustics in our stores. It is also possible to place an order on our website musician.ua. Delivery is carried out all over Ukraine. Thanks to the wide assortment, everyone will be able to choose a product that suits the characteristics and cost. We take care of the quality of service and do everything possible to make sure that you are satisfied with your purchase.