bipole or regular?

[EddieG]

Do bipole speakers for the surrounds really add that much more to the audio experience when watching movies over regular bookshelf speakers?

Thanks!

[no. 5]

Perhaps; if the bipole speakers in question have wider, more uniform dispersion then the average bookshelf speaker, and are designed to be wall mounted (because of the boundary effect), then it's conceivable that a more rewarding experience could be had. If not, stay with the bookshelf's.

[Midcow2]

IMHO - dipole adds depth and dispersion to the front speakers.

However, the surrounds are for enhancement and don't really gain very much by being dipole except a higher price.

[no. 5]

IMHO - dipole adds depth and dispersion to the front speakers.

Dipole is two sets of drivers in reverse phase to each other, EddieG asked about bipole speakers - two sets of drivers in phase with each other.

At least I think he did... I usually need a second to make sure which I'm talking about myself...

[EddieG]

Dipole is two sets of drivers in reverse phase to each other, EddieG asked about bipole speakers - two sets of drivers in phase with each other.

At least I think he did... I usually need a second to make sure which I'm talking about myself...

I guess I meant to ask about dipole AND bipole compared to bookshelf.

[Midcow2]

Dipole is two sets of drivers in reverse phase to each other, EddieG asked about bipole speakers - two sets of drivers in phase with each other.

At least I think he did... I usually need a second to make sure which I'm talking about myself...


Sorry double typo 'Bipolar" as in Def Tech 70002s :rolleyes:

[no. 5]

I guess I meant to ask about dipole AND bipole compared to bookshelf.

For the surround illusion to work well the angle the sound arrives from is important. Dipole surround speakers are usually designed to have minimal energy on-axis, to rely on reflections from the front and back walls, doing this puts the arriving sound at angles that are not nearly as conducive to creating the intended illusion as a monopole or bipole surround speaker.

As far as sound quality and a sense of space go, the same things that apply for the front speakers applies to the surrounds; flattish on and off axis response and wide dispersion. Dipoles don't typically exhibit those qualities, but bipole and monopole speakers often do.

[deedubb]

Personal preference, but I really like bipole/dipole for surround. I find monopole speakers too easy to localize in the rear which I don't like. I have dipoles in my main floor HT and bipoles in my basement HT. I don't notice a huge difference between the two.

[jliedeka]

I think the localization of a monopole surround is a feature, not a bug. If you set them up correctly, you get imaging in the surrounds just like the imaging from the right and left. That's good for both multichannel music and movies.

Jim

[BoB/335]

These are referred to as "multi-pole". http://www.axiomaudio.com/qs8.html

How do these differ in application?

[fredk]

Sorry double typo 'Bipolar"...
Strange, I thought that was dyslexia. ;)

[jliedeka]

Bipolar makes me think the speakers are manic depressive.

J