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So what do you have in your system, dipole or direct radiating? (1 Viewer)

james e m

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 3, 2001
Messages
497
I was just curious, I plan on upgrading my speakers to Paradigms. I was going to go ADP-370 Surrounds, but I may just end up using Mini Monitors. I have direct radiating speakers now and I think they sound great (if you're in the sweet spot of course). I was just curious what you guys/gals have and what you would recommend. Thanks...
james
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When in doubt...Rock it out.
 

Bobby T

Supporting Actor
Joined
Mar 13, 2001
Messages
583
are you going to listen to SACD or DVD audio multi channel music? Direct radiators are a lot better for music.
 

John Cain

Second Unit
Joined
Nov 19, 2000
Messages
359
Dipoles either way is what I'm told and nearly all of the top experts keep telling me..
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-- John
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JohanK

Second Unit
Joined
Jan 22, 2000
Messages
478
I prefer monopoles; I just feel that they are superior for music reproduction.
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KeithH

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2000
Messages
9,413
I agree that direct-radiating speakers would be better for music.
When I was shopping seriously for my Energy e:XL surround sound speaker package last year, I called Marc Hallam at Audioshop in Canada (known for discounting Energy). He told me that if I were going to do Dolby Digital and DTS, I should have direct-radiating surround speakers. He said dipoles work fine for Pro-Logic, but he would not use them for Dolby Digital and DTS. In the end, I went with Energy e:XL 16 direct-radiating bookshelf speakers. I use my home theater quite a bit for DTS CDs, surround sound music DVDs, and DVD-Audio and will add a surround sound SACD player down the road. Direct-radiating surrounds work very well.
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DonnyD

Screenwriter
Joined
Jun 12, 1999
Messages
1,145
I've just set up a friends HT system with the ADP 370 as surrounds and they are really great. Used these simply due to his wide seating arrangement. On movies, they perform very well but for music, we are having to run them up a notch or two to wake up and keep up with the front mains.
That being said, I personally have and prefer directs and unless the seating arrangement is tricky like my friends was, I also reccommend directs. It is really up to what your room accoustics and listening locations are going to be.
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Matt Parsons

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Mar 18, 2001
Messages
68
James,
I'm in the exact same position as you. I'm leaning towards the Mini's over the ADP's. I'd love to get some ADP's and at least try them in my room, but I plan on going to Canada to get them and I don't think it's worth the aggravation if I don't care for the diffused, non-directional sound of the ADP's.
I've had DR's for 10yrs now from Pro-logic to DD/DTS and I really like the fact that I can tell a car or chopper or whatever enters from the rear right channel and exits through the front left channel as it zips across the screen. My concern w/the ADP's is that the car would sound more like it came from 'somewhere in the back' to the left front, know what I mean? Am I correct to think this way? The only experience I've had w/ADP's is at my local shop where I did not come away very impressed, although the room was much larger than my own.
Also, I've read where dipoles are very finicky on placement and I have no rear wall for them to reflect off of. Plus I'll save some money to boot.
Just my opinion, at least for today.
Matt
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Oliver

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Feb 28, 1999
Messages
102
Only direct for me. If they want to make it sound not locatable they pass it true a DSP anyway, so I think that direct is the way to go.
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MatthewJ S

Supporting Actor
Joined
Feb 27, 2001
Messages
584
omni-pole side surrounds(mirage omr2hgb)[call 'em bi-pole if you wish, I haven't seen the need for dipoles since I stopped using DPL so much]
direct radiating rear surrounds(mirage m490 bookshelves)
best of both worlds / can do either-or-or-both off AVR307(B&K)
 

John H

Second Unit
Joined
Nov 27, 1998
Messages
472
I use bipolar rear surrounds and mains.
They diffuse the sound as well as offer direction. A good compromise between dipoles and monopoles.
John
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[Edited last by John H on July 29, 2001 at 02:46 PM]
 

james e m

Second Unit
Joined
Jun 3, 2001
Messages
497
I'm not sure about the dipolar speakers because I keep hearing that room placement is critical to the performance of the speaker. See the problem is I plan on moving sometime in the future and I have no idea what my new home theater room would look like or where I would be able to place my speakers. So should I just go with the direct radiating speakers like the Paradigm Mini Monitor?
james
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When in doubt...Rock it out.
 

AVspec

Supporting Actor
Joined
Sep 7, 1998
Messages
515
Location
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Mark
Direct for me, but your room (and listen preference) should dictate which you get. I have a very reflective room so I do not need to diffuse the sound at all and in fact need to try and tame it a bit with more sound absorbing material. I also like 5.1 DTS music listening which is best with direct all around.
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**** Digital Vortex ****
The Digital Electronic Site
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John Kotches

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2000
Messages
2,635
A couple of points to make...
1) THX still recommends dipole radiators.
2) Tom Holman recommends dipole radiators.
Personally, I have dipole radiators all around my theater, but my speakers are also planars, which is quite a bit different than using two sets of drivers wired out of phase at a 90 degree angle.
I have no issues with imaging in any of my channels.
YMMV.
Regards,
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John Kotches
Contributing Writer
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JoelW

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Dec 14, 2000
Messages
62
I used to be a fan and advocate of strictly monopole rear surrounds, but after stumbling onto a great deal on a pair of Mission bipolar rear speakers, I now straddle the fence.
My wife liked the looks of most of the bipolar speakers a lot more than she did a direct firing speaker, so when forced to go down that road I did. I must say that while it took me a little getting used to, I really enjoy the 5.1 movie soundtracks with the bipolar rears. I dont listen to much music on this system though.
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Joel White
Editor CheapHomeTheater.com
 

Brian OK

Supporting Actor
Joined
Aug 29, 2000
Messages
550
I use dipoles (Paradigm ADP 350) in my setup.
I do not have any directional issues or problems either. Direct or dipole may just be a preference, dictated by room layout and personal taste.
For me, the dipoles fill out the rear soundstage quite nicely, without losing the discrete localization some soundtracks provide.
Like John K said, YMMV.
BOK
 

Erik Farstad

Supporting Actor
Joined
Jan 28, 2001
Messages
560
Here's something to throw into the mix: I use QUADPOLAR side surrounds and direct for my rear-center channels. I bought the AXIOM QS8's from Marc at AudioShop in Canada. I have all Energy, AC300 for center and C-2's for front left/right and back-center left/right. Marc said the Axioms would fill my side surrounds very nicely. They have four drivers: one 5.25" woofer shoots up, one 5.25" woofer shoots down, and then the other dual 1" tweeters shoot left and right. Talk about a "surround sound" experience! Check um' out they're sweet: http://www.axiomaudio.com
E
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The Norwegian Audio/Video NUT!
 

Ron Reda

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jul 27, 2001
Messages
2,276
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Marc Hallam at Audioshop in Canada...told me that if I were going to do Dolby Digital and DTS, I should have direct-radiating surround speakers. He said dipoles work fine for Pro-Logic, but he would not use them for Dolby Digital and DTS.
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I talked to Marc about a week ago (when ordering some Axioms, which arrived today!) and he told me the same thing. He said that dipoles are recommended in a Dolby Pro Logic set up because it helps to diffuse the surround channel a bit given that the rear channel is in mono.
 

Phil Iturralde

Screenwriter
Joined
Oct 7, 1998
Messages
1,892
. . . The comment that stuck most with me was John Dahl's of THX -- he acknowledged that dipoles aren't appropriate for monitoring material (i.e., 5.1 music) that's recorded with 5 identical monitors equidistant from the listener. And he said THX is investigating solutions to that problem -- maybe some kind of automatic switching!
 

GarryW

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 27, 1999
Messages
162
I started out with Atoms for surrounds and upgraded to MM as I have M7's, and a CC-350 center. The Atoms didn't match well with the fronts. I am building a new HT room this year which I will use ADP-350's which will be wall mmounted about 6-8' high adjacent to the main seating area.
I bought the ADP's on e-bay recently and decided to try them out in my current set-up which means on stands, in the corners of the rooms facing the drivers on a 45° angle to the converging walls.
I LOVE THESE NEW SPEAKERS!
biggrin.gif

I really prefer the the sound field they generate on movies, as the surround sounds on DD 5.1 in movies are less distracting, and seem to create more of a theater type listening experience.
I was a fan of 2 channel music, but now I find myself using the ADP's also, and I like what I hear!
 

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