floorstanders

Floorstanders, or floor-standing loudspeakers, are designed to stand on the floor and project sound across a listening area. They are typically taller than bookshelf speakers and often aim to deliver a full or near full-range response without requiring a separate subwoofer. Most models incorporate multiple drivers, such as woofers for bass, a midrange driver, and a tweeter, with some designs adding a dedicated midbass or a fourth driver. Enclosures are usually bass-reflex (port) or sealed, and may use various cabinet constructions to minimize resonance.

Construction and design characteristics common to floorstanders include multi-driver configurations, internal bracing, and damping materials to reduce cabinet coloration. Crossover networks route frequencies to the appropriate drivers. Materials for cabinets range from wood veneers and laminates to composites, and some designs feature curved or rounded enclosures to reduce diffraction effects.

Placement and room interaction are important factors in performance. Floorstanders can produce strong bass, which makes room size, wall proximity, and corner loading influential. Typical recommendations include placing the speakers a few inches to a few tens of centimeters from the rear wall and adjusting toe-in and listening distance to optimize imaging and tonal balance. Room acoustics and furniture can affect bass response and high-frequency clarity.

Performance considerations include sensitivity, impedance, and power handling. Higher sensitivity implies greater output for a given amplifier power. Nominal or minimum impedance affects amplifier compatibility. Floorstanders are available in two-way, three-way, and occasionally four-way configurations, with trade-offs between cost, efficiency, and tonal balance. In some models, built-in DSP, complex crossovers, or integrated subwoofers are used to extend bass or improve accuracy.