Like everything else in audio the particular design is everything. Speakers like Audio Physics do very well with a side firing woofer that otherwise would not fit the cabinet. A narrow cabinet has less diffraction effects than a wide one so there are sonic reasons to use them but they are not in themselves better or worse than front facing ones. Less diffraction but generally harder to place in room due to more complex radiation pattern.It all boils down to whether you like the sound of a particular speaker, the design parameters are secondary.
Are side firing woofers only for aesthetics?
I have read that side firing woofers are there for improved sonics but I think they are designed into the speaker to give it a smaller footprint (WAF) and to look cool. Does anyone else think this is the aim of the speaker designers?
Yes I know bass is essentially non directional. Still I have always preferred speakers with front facing woofers with rare exceptions.
Yes I know bass is essentially non directional. Still I have always preferred speakers with front facing woofers with rare exceptions.