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Floor standing speakers are much larger than the more common bookshelf speakers. They usually cost quite a bit more, but for discerning listeners, they have the best sound reproduction of all types of speakers on the market. Sound ranges from bass lower than humans can hear to high notes above the range of hearing can be reproduced accurately by most speakers in this classification. Here we will take a look at the different types of floorstanding speakers and their strengths and weaknesses.
The most common type of speakers of any size is known as dynamic speakers. These speakers use a unique crossover type of speaker drivers that sends the lower tones to the woofer or subwoofer, midrange tones to the midrange speaker cone, and the high notes to the tweeters. Most top quality dynamic floor speakers contain all four of the listed parts and can reproduce sounds accurately enough to make the listener feel as if he/she is present at a live performance.
Electrostatic speakers are a slightly different type that makes use of a high voltage signal to drive a membrane suspended between to conductor plates known as stators. These speakers operate without the crossover system of drivers used by dynamic speakers.
Their good point is that they reproduce sounds accurately in a linear pattern as the volume increases without a great deal of distortion. Drawbacks include the fact that they require powerful amplifiers to provide a strong enough signal to drive the membrane and their sheer physical size. These are normally huge speakers. They are not well known for being able to reproduce the deepest bass notes.
Planar speakers are popular with a small group of older listeners. These speakers are very thin in construction. Unfortunately, they are not very good matches for most home theater uses. They need a great deal of power to drive them and despite their appearance, they should not be placed right next to a wall if one wants the best quality sound they are capable of producing.
Horn speakers are the type used in movie theaters and many recording studios. These speakers have their own distinctive sound in the higher frequency range and are the most efficient type of speaker for use behind screens such as those used to hide the speakers in theaters.
All of the above types of speakers can be created in mono-polar designs or bi-polar models. Bi-polar speakers fire from both front and back to stimulate the sound producing membrane. Bi-polar speakers require careful placement to gain their highest quality based on the acoustic qualities of the room they are located in. These have been the speakers of choice for both rear and side channels in theaters using THX sound for well over ten years.
In general, any of these types of floor standing speakers will cost a lot more than their smaller cousins. However, their sound reproduction qualities tend to make them well worth the money if one truly loves to experience music or to become a part of the action when watching a home theater system.