[rockadanny]

Photo shows cabinet with TV and future speaker pair - (poorly) drawn in above TV in hanging shelf.
Boxed shelves for speakers are sort of like tunnels: 11.25"h x 7.25"w x 20"d.
Tunnels are open in back with 1.5" space between end of tunnels/shelf and back of cabinet - so sound from rear ports would dump into back of cabinet.

Would rear ported speakers work OK in this type of environment?
What might you expect these tunnels do to the sound from rear ported speakers?
Were I to use rear ported speakers, what could I do to minimize any adverse effects caused by these open-back "tunnels"? Cover the interior walls/floor/ceiling of tunnels with acoustic fabric?

[mcgsxr]

I would expect a widely varying response on the bottom end, where certain frequencies might load the "tunnel", and others not so much.

If it were me, and my system, I would plug the ports, and change the Xover to the sub.

That is assuming that the speakers must be rear ported.

[Russell Dawkins]

The situation you describe would certainly affect the tuning of the speakers' bass - and the influence would probably be heard up to (I'm guessing) 600Hz or more.

Preferable, if possible, would be not to enclose the speakers at all, but hang them from the upper surface, further outboard of where you have them pictured, and angled in a little bit while you are at it. If you use a single (long) screw from the outside of the cabinet into the center of the speaker top, you could play with the toe in angle as well!

You might also consider a small piece of black foam just above the tweeter to help kill the first reflection off the top of the cabinet.

[rockadanny]

mcgsxr & Russell - Thank you for your replies. I was considering rear ported as there are far more of those available than sealed or front ported. I've decided to get front ported speakers as rear ported seem too problematic. I will put them in the cabinet where shown as per our (wife and me) compromise. Not the optimal location, but its only TV anyway. Should still beat the pants off of the TV speakers regardless. When the time is right I'll move them more in the open for experimentation while my wife is in the room so she can be better appreciate them this way.