dipolar or unipolar speakers?

[bryantm3]

i'm thinking next year of expanding my current set up and i need to go ahead and get some idea of what i should get.

 

[bryantm3]

two weeks and no answers? most useless forum ever.

 

[AVRat]

How about these: http://www.mksound.com/ss150.htm

 

[df4801]

I'm thinking of buying a new house.
Can someone give me some ideas on what to get?

 

[j_garcia]

two weeks and no answers? most useless forum ever.

Maybe that's because there's a search function? Maybe unipolar threw people off, since there's no such animal. You didn't really give much info either - expand from WHAT? What is your current setup? Do you have surrounds now and you want to go to 6.1 or 7.1?

Monopole speakers would be my preference, because I listen to mulithcannel music. For movies only, I'd go with bi/dipole sides and monopole rears (depending on your room and seating position).

 

[AVRat]

df4801,
5600 sq. ft., 5 bdrm, 4 bath, 3 HT, 5 car garage, wine cellar, pool

 

[j_garcia]

df4801,
5600 sq. ft., 5 bdrm, 4 bath, 3 HT, 5 car garage, wine cellar, pool

LOL. Sounds good to me, except one of the bedrooms would be considered a "media" room Don't need the 3 HT rooms, just one well designed one

 

[df4801]

Thanks for the advice!
Most helpful forum ever!

 

[bryantm3]

hi, sorry for the insult, but i knew i would get a hundred replies.. no hard feelings. here is my current setup laid out on a map:

i have a Yamaha RX-V787 reciever and two polk audio left/right speakers, and a subwoofer next to the left speaker (not pictured). i have limited space in the back corners, about a foot of wall space in the right corner, and then there's the bookshelf/fireplace. i have more room, about 2 feet, on the left side, though. because of a window on the left side, and a 'doorway' of sorts on the left side, it leaves me with less than a foot above them each, so it would be impossible to place the speakers up there, and rather silly, since we'd be sitting on the couches behind the speakers. i will be listening to lots of 5.1 surround sound music once they release the Genesis SACDs, so that might be a thing to consider. and yes, i am upgrading to 5.1 from 2.1. i don't plan on upgrading to 7.1 anytime unless i move into a new house, because if i did add those speakers, the sound would come from crazy directions and wouldn't make any sense. once again, sorry for the insult.

 

[bryantm3]

PS: the left and right speakers are both Polk Audio RTi8's, and the subwoofer is a Polk Audio PSW10.

 

[Sheep]

It depends on what you listen to more; music or movies.

If music (5 channel music) buy direct pole speakers (bookshelfs)(general rule, some perfer bipoles).

If movie buy bi, tri, quad...i pole speakers.

SheepStar

 

[bryantm3]

It depends on what you listen to more; music or movies.

If music (5 channel music) buy direct pole speakers (bookshelfs)(general rule, some perfer bipoles).

If movie buy bi, tri, quad...i pole speakers.

SheepStar

what is the advantage of direct pole speakers over dipolar speakers when listening to music, and is there a disadvantage to getting dipolar speakers and listening to music?
maybe i should get two of each and switch them out?

 

[jaxvon]

First, a correction of terms. Monopole speakers are your standard direct-radiating speakers that fire in one direction. Bipole speakers are units that fire in two different directions, but the drivers firing in different directions are in-phase with each other. Dipole speakers are speakers that fire in two different directions, but 180 degrees out of phase with each other. There are also some companies (such as Axiom) that market quadrapole speakers.

The advantage of multi-polar speakers over a stnadard monopole is the creation of a more diffuse sound, something that is effective in creating a better ambience in movies. With multi-channel music, this can work as a disadvantage, taking away the more accurate soundstaging acheived with standard direct radiating speakers. This only applies to surround speakers, not mains. A dipole speaker such as a Magnepan or Linkwitz Orion excels as creating a spacious soundstage.

 

[ZinMe]

There are two camps on this topic.

Some say go with dipoles if you like primarily HT because of the fuller sound environment they create. I agree with this camp if are going with a 5.1 set up.

The other camp says that if you go with a 7.1 set up, you will get the same/similar sourround sound effects by virtue of using four speakers in total for the side / rear AND you'll get better clarity to boot due to the direct format.

It is a truly subjective decision and you should to a dealer who can let you compare both set-ups.

 

[bryantm3]

this is a dilemna. the room isn't THAT big, it's 15x20. but it has an entrance that will be open the whole time on the right side. it's like a space without a wall there, but a little bit of wall above it. the ceiling is only 8 feet tall. i don't want crappy sound on movies, i want a good soundstage, but i don't want the music to sound crazy. AHH!

 

[bryantm3]

this is a better more data-encompassing picture.

 

[bryantm3]

please help!

 

[bryantm3]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAMMIT!
doesn't anyone have any more advice pertaining to the location of the speakers. if i have them in the back corners, will dipolar sound any good or should i go with direct???

 

[jaxvon]

If your speakers are going in the corner, I'd suggest that you go with direct radiating. Dipoles or bipoles might have some strange reflection effects that could result in strange/bad sound. If you could, I'd suggest that you move your surrounds closer to the front of the room. It looks like you have a little room on the right surround between the corner and the doorway. If you could move them a few feet out of the corner, a dipole or bipole might be a good option. If they're corner only, I'd just say direct-radiating monopole.

 

[bryantm3]

If your speakers are going in the corner, I'd suggest that you go with direct radiating. Dipoles or bipoles might have some strange reflection effects that could result in strange/bad sound. If you could, I'd suggest that you move your surrounds closer to the front of the room. It looks like you have a little room on the right surround between the corner and the doorway. If you could move them a few feet out of the corner, a dipole or bipole might be a good option. If they're corner only, I'd just say direct-radiating monopole.

hmm.. i'll have to get my brother's digital camera. i think i need to show you this.