As implied by the name, floorstanding loudspeakers are tall, generally narrow speakers that sit on the floor of a home theater or listening room. These are the largest type of standard speakers found in homes and are often called “tower speakers.” They are typically the flagship speaker for speaker companies like KLH Audio.

The best floorstanding speaker typically contains a wide range of high-performance drivers in a two-way, three-way, or sometimes four-way configuration. A two-way speaker is the simplest type of tower speaker. It has a tweeter (for high-frequency) and a woofer (for low-frequency). A three-way speaker contains a tweeter, a midrange driver (for mid-frequency dialogue), and a woofer.

The dominant benefit of a floorstanding speaker, compared to smaller speakers, is the enhanced bass response. The excellent bass response makes them well suited for audiophiles and movie buffs who relish immersive music listening and movie-watching experiences. The drivers produce a full-range output of sound through vibrations that allow you to not only hear the quality but feel it too. Floor standing loudspeakers are top-of-the-line products that recreate that sought-after sound.

Floorstanding speakers are ideal for producing a room-filling sound in big rooms with space to spare. So, if you enjoy listening to music, watching movies/TV, or playing video games with energy and a full range of sound, they are a good fit for you.

In terms of bass response, loudness, and frequency response, floor standing speakers are almost always the better choice. Bookshelf speakers are smaller, so the number and size of drivers they can contain are limited. Smaller drivers mean less bass and volume output.

Tower speakers produce good bass on their own, therefore most do not need a subwoofer. However, if you want to experience deep, room-shaking bass, a subwoofer would be a smart addition to your system. With a subwoofer, floorstanding speakers will give their best performance in the mid and high-range frequencies.

Yes. Floor standing speakers can maneuver a wide range of frequencies and be used in the front or the rear, making them good surround sound speakers. Their natural, ear-level height and ability to pair with other speakers is also beneficial for surround sound.

Spikes are crucial in getting the best audio experience out of your tower speakers. Spikes prevent any unwanted movement, which helps keep your speakers stable and correct the bass response.

Unlike bass-reflex systems, the acoustic suspension design is not optimized to favor one frequency band at the expense of another. The volume of the air in the enclosure ensures that the 10-inch woofer will always be in control, and the low-frequency performance will remain clean even at the highest cone excursions. Acoustic suspension speakers are much better suited to deal with low-frequency program material than any other loudspeaker design.

First, decide where you (the listener) will be positioned. Then, place the speakers to form an equilateral triangle with the listening position and angle them inward. Floor standing speakers need to be placed at least 8 feet apart from one another and set at least 2-3 feet away from the nearest wall. Make sure no objects stand between your speakers and your ears.

That room-filling sound comes at a price- in terms of money and size! Typically, they are 3 to 4 feet tall and have a footprint of at least 1 square foot, but they can be much larger than that. It is important to put these tall, narrow speakers in a larger room, so the sound is not overpowering.