bipole side surrounds without a wall? (1 Viewer)

[Daniel I]

I currently have 2 Paradigm Mini Monitors as my side surrounds in a 5.1 setup. I want to move to 7.1 eventually.

I was thinking of picking up a pair of ADP-370 ( Monitor Bipoles ) for side surround duty and using the Mini Monitors as the rear surrounds.

The only issue I want to address is that my sides surrounds are hanging from the ceiling and my basement HT is open-air ( no side-walls for refelection ). Are side surround bipoles going to be effective witjout a wall for sound reflection?

Eventually I will build a room but will the bipole side surrounds work effectivley in the mean time?

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Daniel,

Bipolar speakers like the ADP-370 are designed to utilized reflections off the front and back walls of the room to achieve their effect of a broad, ambient soundfield. Obviously if there is no back wall the effect is diminished. Not having side walls will also diminish the effect.

In your situation you will get the best effect with direct radiating speakers aimed at the listening area, as you are doing now. It would be best to wait until the walls are up before you change speakers

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Daniel I]

Thanks for the reply Wayne,

I thought as much, I think I just might purchase another pair of Mini Monitors for the rear surrounds. So far I like the direct radiators for surrounds. The extra diffuse in the sound stage would be nice, but I think the addition of the rear surrounds whether they be mono or di-pole/bi-pole will be enough for me.

Daniel I