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Physics of downward firing woofers

Ok ... this question will show my complete lack of knowledge about physics ... but here goes anyway:

Every now and then I come across a speaker with a downward firing woofer. I wonder: why don't the sound waves bounce off the floor back towards the speaker, rattling the bejeezez out of it and / or messing up the woofer itself?

~Jim
128x128jimspov

Showing 6 responses by inna

inna
7,132 posts
 
How about upward - firing woofer ?
inna
7,132 posts
 
Downfiring is probably not a very good idea if you have carpeted floor. Unless I am terribly wrong.
inna
7,132 posts
 
Why call each other names? Especially for no good reason.
Well, downfiring bass doesn't sound like a great idea to me either but I would not judge it until I hear it in each particular implementation, including room.
Bass is difficult to manage, anyway, so sometimes solutions may look counter-intuitive.
inna
7,132 posts
 
Ralph, did you remove the carpet to compare or move everything to identical room ?
inna
7,132 posts
 
Now, why do I get tired of hearing about Classic Audio speakers? Seemingly no reason, right?
inna
7,132 posts
 
Would you put downfiring speaker or sub on a spiked stand instead of the floor, or it would make it worse, or no difference? Carpeted and not carpeted floor. Some put speakers, without downfiring woofer, on stands and claim the improvement, at times big one.
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