Which is better--2 big full range surrounds or 4 smaller surrounds? (1 Viewer)

[James W. Johnson]

Last weekend I found a few of JBLs new Studio and Northridge speakers on sale for half price..actually just the floorstanders were on sale.

I bought them to re-sell but now I am considering keeping them because I like my S26s so much.

So I have all of the following speakers and I am not sure which ones I should keep.

(2) pair of JBL N38

(1) pair of JBL ND310

(1) pair of JBL S312

I know for sure I would want the S312s as mains and I could go buy an S-center on Ebay for about $140.

Now I am pretty confindent that the N and S series will match well enough to use the S up front and the N in the rear.

The question I have is which would sound better..4 N38s in the rear for a 7.1 set-up or 2 ND310s in the rear for a 5.1 set-up?

Basically more smaller speakers or less bigger speakers?..is the question.

Mains:

12" bass, 4" mid, 1" titanium tweeter

92db efficient

35hz-20khz

Crossover; 750hz, 3000hz

Center:

(2) 5 1/4 bass, 4" mid, 1" titanium tweeter

91db efficient

75hz-20khz

Crossover: 800hz, 3200hz

N38(have 4 of them):

8" bass, 4" mid, 3/4" titanium tweeter

90dbs efficient

45Hz-20Khz

Crossover: 1000hz, 5000hz

ND310(have 2):

(2)10" basses, 4" mid, 3/4" titanium tweeter

91dbs efficient

37Hz-20Khz

Crossover: 1000Hz, 5000Hz

Maybe I should keep them all and wait for a bigger place to live and more surround formats to come out that require more speakers?

 

[Phil Wyeth]

I'll nibble on this one

I would say that any speaker configuration you can dream up (within reason) that yields a 7.1 configuration, is the way to go.

i.e. Speaking from a surround standpoint, I would take number of speakers versus quality of speakers.

 

[chella]

With more and more software available in the THX EX and DTS ES (7.1 - or more correctly 6.1?) format, I would be prepared for for 7.1 arrangement than stay with 5.1. The lack of deeper bass in N38 can be compensated well with a good sub.

 

[James W. Johnson]

Thanks guys, if I do decide to keep these speakers I think I will prepare for a 7.1 set-up. I do plan on getting an Outlaw 950, it will be nice to have everything ready to go when it gets here.

Do you guys know exactly what configurations will work for a 7.1 set-up? I mean where should/can these surrounds go?

So we have L/C/R, rear surround L/R..where can/should these other two surrounds go?

Also in the rear, so you'd have 4 in a row?

To the sides behind seating position?

To the sides at seating position?

To the sides in front of seating position?

 

[chella]

I do not have a 7.1 setup, so take everything I say here as only a suggestion. I would start trying out placing the Left and Right Surrounds on the side walls directed toward the listening position. The Back/Rear surrounds would be placed along the rear wall behind the listening position aimed forward. Experiment - isn't that the fun part