The term "bookshelf" in this context has come to tend to be used to mean
"small enough to be placed on a bookshelf".

Putting a boxed speaker close to a wall generally boosts the bass output.
Using an open port into free air also generally boosts the bass output.
Thus a designer might design the speaker to use one effect *or* the other,
depending on if the user chooses to place it against a wall or not.

So it may be that they had more "tech knowledge" than you think. OTOH it
may have been a clueless / fashion choice on the part of the maker.

Jim

In article , Brian Gaff
wrote:
I bought some fairly cheap bookshelf two unit speakers, and they sound
fine as long as they are at least a couple of foot away from a wall as
they have a port in the back of the cabinet. However they are described
as bookshelf design, and of cours as most bookshelves are on walls this
somewhat makes the port at the rear a silly design. Not only that but
they have the keyhole screw head retainers and recessed terminals so
you can hang them on the wall. Do this and they sound like portable
radios.

This is what happens when those in charge of selling stuff has no tech
knowledge of speaker design! Now if they had made the port in the side
or the bottom.... or the front for that matter! Brian

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