Sound quality from di/bipolar surrounds (1 Viewer)

[AlanZ]

I can understand why you'd want to have good quality direct radiating speakers in the rear that are timbre-matched to your mains.....especially for multi-channel audio. But with bipolar surrounds, the speaker is sending the sound off the walls instead of directly to your ears.....so does this mean you can get lesser quality bipoles for the back than you would if you went with direct radiators? For example....I have designs on upgrading to the Paradigm Signature line.....they have di/bipolar surrounds for that line that are around $2200.....but the surrounds from the studio line (one step down) are only $990/pair. Would I really notice a difference if the signal is being bounced off the walls before it reaches my ears????

 

[ScottCHI]

why do you think that "bounced" sound is somehow inferior to direct sound?

it really has nothing to do with whether the sound is bounced of the wall or not. the question you're really asking is:
is it really necessary to spend a lot of money to absolutely match your surrounds to your mains?

and that question would remain whether you're talking about direct radiators or bi/dipoles.

 

[AlanZ]

Hmmmm.....well, I guess since there is always so much emphasis on seating position when it comes to mains, I associate having a WALL involved in the reception of sound by my ears as being a negative thing. But you seem to indicate that sound reflecting off the wall would actually not degrade the quality, so I guess you are right: I need to figure out what the sonic difference would be between the Signature ADPs and the Studio ADPs if I had the Signature series speakers as mains. So, basically, thanks for nothing lol

 

[ScottCHI]

yeah, i know. sorry.

if i was in your shoes, and definitely knew i was not interested in multichannel music, i could probably very easily rationalize not spending as much on the surrounds.

 

[cabreau]

Since the surrounds are probably the LEAST important of all your speakers, SPEND SPEND SPEND on the fronts, center and sub. The surrounds really don't need to be timbre matches AS WELL as the fronts, since it's only ambient sounds coming out of them. I'd get the ADP-470's and call it a day. You can always upgrade to the Signature ADP if you want to later on. Doesn't you Paradigm dealer allow trade ups?

 

[Evan M.]

LOL!!!!! Spoken like a pro Cabreau.......I think I heard that same advice somewhere LOL.............

 

[Brian L]

Well, I agree that if I were to skimp, it would be with my surrounds, but surrounds do a lot more than just provide ambience.

Some MC music (most pop/rock) has discrete instruments panned to the surrounds. Many films also have discrete affects.

Now, there is no question that for film, the surrounds pull double duty in that they of course are there to provide ambience, but there are also discrete sounds in virtually all action/adventure/sci-fi films.

As for music, its a crap shoot. Some stuff is mixed to ONLY have ambience, other stuff is mixed so that you are dead nuts in the middle of the band.

I won't touch the bipole/dipole/monopole debate, but if MC music is in the cards, and its predominately pop/rock, I think you must certainly DO want to timbre match the rears as well as possible.

IMHO, or course.

BGL

 

[AlanZ]

You guys are all sort of hitting on the problem here....thanks

What I've found over the past four years since I got back into this hobby is that 1) Usually I upgraded the fronts prior to the surrounds, but in each case, when I finally did match the surrounds I could tell there was a more cohesive, encompassing sound. In other words, I felt as though I liked them to be timbre matched. But, 2) at the same time, one of the things that really bothers me is that even though I'll usually check out most of the larger budget films with the major surround effects, most of the films I watch seem to have minimal use of the surrounds.

So now that I'm beginning to slowly enter the land of high end with regard to speakers, the decision becomes harder on both myself and my pocketbook lol. I'm pretty much of the same thinking as Cabreau on getting the ADP-470s for now and then trading up at a later date. My dealer would have no issue with that, especially going up to the signatures.

Thanks to everyone who responded with help