Dipoles placement (1 Viewer)

[Daman]

Should the dipole speakers be placed as side surrounds or as rear surrounds in a 7.1 setup? Im confused on their placement and also whether its a good idea to use them in a 7.1 setup or go for regular monopoles which are directional. Please give me your suggestions.
Thanks!
Daman

 

[Teddy-P]

Dipoles generally are placed to the sides. As far as monopoles, it's really a matter of personal preference. People will debate monopole vs dipole as vehemently as SVS vs. Hsu. If you have the room a set of monopoles for the rear (in a 7.1 setup) would be nice, especially for hi rez music. If seated close to the rear/side channels you may prefer dipoles.

 

[Daman]

thanks for the response teddy, my only doubt was since most of the info in movies these days is not meant to be diffused for rear tracks and dipoles do that, would they sound better or the regular speakers.. i am referring to sounds like arrows flying across the room or doors banging sort of things from the side surround channels.. and yes i primarily use the system for movies and less for music,say 70-30%

 

[Brian L]

For Dipoles to have the intended affect, you want to be sitting so that you are in the null that they produce.

That normally means up on a side wall, exactly even with your seating position.

Obviously, that won't work if they are used as rear surrounds in a 7.1 system, but I thick they may work well since the back surround is intended to be somewhat diffuse.

The current S&V has a review of a speaker system (damn if I can recall the vendor) where a single dipole can be re-wired so that it actually takes both back surround outputs, mounted in the center of the back wall, and firing in opposite directions.

BGL

 

[Daman]

hmm.. well tip that seems logical Brian, the null position one.. if i go in for them i would definetly use them as side surrounds and not rear surrounds.. i guess it would be a good idea to audition these before buying them.. and compare them with regular speakers as well. The re wiring trick sounds good but i guess with 2 speakers one would get a bigger soundstage at the rear? thanks!
Daman

 

[GregBe]

Daman,

I just added 7.1 this weekend, and both my side surrounds as well as my rear surrounds are bipole/dipole switchable. I know that bipole is not monopole, but here were my preferences. I tried every combo for each of the speakers, and I found that I liked dipole sides and bipole rears the best. In my room, the bipole, (and I am assuming monopole would be the same), was certainly more directional, but felt very disjointed at times. I really wanted to like the directional sound. What I found was the diffuseness still retained the directionality, but not to the point of distraction. I felt much more wrapped in the surround sound experience. To my ears, this was the best. I am sure many would argue in the other direction.

Greg

 

[Brian L]

Don't know about that. THX says so, but in my room, I only have room for a single back loudspeaker.

At the risk of opening a huge can or worms and totally confusing the matter, I would also mention that for films, high mounted surrounds (side and back) are preferred, but for multi-channel music, like DVD-A and SACD, many users prefer having the surrounds mounted on stands with the tweeters at or slightly above ear height.

I tend to favor stand mounts, and find that, while not optimum for films, they still work quite well. Having previously had high mounted surrounds, I can say that I absolutely hated that for 5.1 music.

BGL

 

[Daman]

I also listen to SACD's and DVD A- but i have them mounted high up on the walls.. and they sound pretty good to me, i guess its a matter of personal preference.

 

[Brian L]

That's for sure

I just found that I preferred the un-natural placement of instruments behind me to be less un-believable when they were lower, than when up on my walls!

I think for music where the rears are largely ambience, like concert hall/jazz club stuff, then high up and more diffuse is probably better, but since I favor pop/rock, I needed to get those instruments down lower.

BGL