surround speaker recomendations

racer4551 · July 2003

Need help deciding what surround speakers i should buy to go with my rti70 mains, csi40 center. prefer wall mountable ,bookshelf size. using adcom gfa 7000 for power 130 watts output . any recommendations?

pjdami · July 2003

Racer,

Try using the system builder on Polk's website to customize and get Polk's recommendation.

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/toolbox/sysbld.php?category=&speaker=&recent=&vintage=&submit=submitted&q_front=0&q_surround=0&q_power=2&q_subwoofer=1&q_price=0&submitted.x=9&submitted.y=9

Nice system by the way..

Paul

pjdami · July 2003

These are the results that I got based on your system:

Front: RTi70 Center: CSi40 Surround: FXi50

Front: RTi70 Center: CSi40 Surround: FXi30

The RTi 38 would be good too.

Paul

racer4551 · July 2003

Would spending the extra money on the fxis be a worth while investment over the 38,s.

kberg · July 2003

I really like my FXi30's - they definitely would do the trick for you, and are lighter than the FXi50's for wall-mounting purposes.

dorokusai · July 2003

Depends on whether you want to have a Directional speaker(RTi38) or a Bipole/Dipole speaker(FXi30/50).

With the 38's you have the choice to use them in another application in the future. The FXi's sorta limit themselves to surround speakers due to their design and intended application.

I prefer the FXi's, they "fill" the area much better than the 38's, but then again thats the whole point.

I say FXi30's, if that power rating was per channel, then you may want to step up to the FXi50 to cover the ratings game.

VR3 · July 2003

I vote 38! Dont wanna be limited on the raw end of life now do we? My rig is about 90% music, and 10% movies. Di/Bipoles would do nothing for me other than annoy me!

Airplay355 · July 2003

i'm for the fxi, i really like the way they fill the rear soundstage. direct speakers are easier to pinpoint and you dont really want your attention drawn to a specific speaker when ur tryin to watch a movie....just my 2 cents

either the fxi30 or fxi50 would be a nice edition to your system, so would the rti38's.

drop by a CC and have a listen ( or where ever you get ur polks)

VR3 · July 2003

Ah, now imagine the exact opposite when you listen to music! That back stereo image is gonna be all screwed

racer4551 · July 2003

Thanks for all the great input , have never listened to di/bipole speakers. But having listened to my current surrounds in my setup which are direct, i have noticed that the sound is more direct sounding hard to blend with front soundstage in ht. either to loud and direct sounding or too soft. want something to blend in better.

racer4551 · July 2003

Originally posted by Vr3MxStyler2k3
Ah, now imagine the exact opposite when you listen to music! That back stereo image is gonna be all screwed

What do you mean, cant you switch speaker setting to change with music?

dorokusai · July 2003

No you cannot change them in that way. They are not designed that way.

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/advice.php?article=selectsurrnd

racer4551 · July 2003

Also just to note, i have these mounted on the wall to my right and left about 6ft from my prime listening position they are facing each other.

racer4551 · July 2003

Originally posted by dorokusai
No you cannot change them in that way. They are not designed that way.

http://www.polkaudio.com/home/faqad/advice.php?article=selectsurrnd

Thanks for the input, now i understand how they work. i would have to use the dipole setting because thats the way i have my current setup.

racer4551 · July 2003

Do the fxi spekers sound that bad with music?

Dr. Spec · July 2003

Time Out.

The FXi50 is a bi-directional design. That means it radiates sound from both sides of the speaker.

The bipole switch setting keeps both tweeters in phase with each other. This allows easier sound localization and better imaging. The bi-pole setting is appropriate if the speaks are being used as rear surrounds behind the listener.

The dipole switch setting keeps both tweeters out of phase with each other. This allows harder to localize sound and a more diffuse sound field. The di-pole setting is appropriate if the speaks are being used as side surrounds on either side of the listener.

If you are listening to "stereo" music, that is by definition two channel, so the surrounds will not be used at all.

If you are listening to multi-channel (SACD, DVD-A, or a DSP mode) then you will use the center and the surrounds. It is strictly a matter of listener preference on what switch setting you want for multi-channel playback. I have tried both with my f/x1000s and both are different but very satisfactory. The important thing is Polk gives you a choice.

My vote is for the FXi50's as side surrounds and the RTi38's later for rear surround(s) in a 6.1 or 7.1 rig.

Doc

racer4551 · July 2003

Thanks for the great info dr.spec. just getting into the home theater scene. am learning alot from this forum and from people like you who are kind enough and most important, patient enough to help us newbies in the right direction. really need to hear these fxi speakers have not listened to them yet but have heard good things about them . my local circuit city only stocks the 30s according to their web site. my amp is rated at 130 per channel but i never push it that far.,so i think i could use the 30s as long as i dont push them to hard. i can always upgrade later to the 50s. any thoughts?

dorokusai · July 2003

Even if you did push them that far they will begin to distort before they you do damage....well distortion isn't really something you want to do all the time either.

You would be safe with the FXi30, and as Kberg mentioned they are lighter for wall mounting. I know that the lighter weight made me feel more comfortable.

Dr. Spec · July 2003

I built shelves for my f/x1000's since they are monsters. Also, shelves make it easier to use plugs or spades or bi-wire, etc.

There is something to be said for the ability of a speaker to "fill a room". While the 30 and the 50 have the same tweet, the 50 has a larger mid driver and will fill the room with more authority.

If you mount on a stud, it won't matter - a stud will take 100 pounds easily with the right screws.

Doc

kberg · July 2003

Originally posted by Dr. Spec
If you mount on a stud, it won't matter - a stud will take 100 pounds easily with the right screws.

Doc

Very true - don't let what I said stray you away from the FXi50's, if that is what you want from the start. But, you might want to try the FXi30's on stands or whatnot, test-drive them, and if you like them, wall-mount the suckers. If after that you feel you still want the FXi50's, then just exchange the 30's for them and pay the extra bones.

goingganzo · July 2003

my vote is for the 50. i did the same thing with the 300 and 500 i got the 300 from cc and wated sothing more. i went to the 500 and ben happy ever sence. also the 30/50 come ith screws to mount them to a stud.

i4gotmyid · July 2003

the real answer is: it all depends...if you are strictly a home theater guy, then the fx's are for you. if you are a music guy, 38's will be fine, although with 5 channel music it is better to use all of the same speakers because if you wall mount them too high they will not be timbre matched. This doesnt effect movies as much. so really it all depends on what you do with your system.

VR3 · July 2003

Doc, I hate to tell ya but alot of people use "4-5-6-7-8 Channel" Stereo. Yes, It is not true stereo, however it is a known setting and when you recomend something to someone you should take that into note. This is my 2 cents. I couldn't imaging listening to "5 Channel" Stereo with Di/Bipole speakers, my ears would be slaughtered, not only would the mains be firing at my ears, so will the surrounds. That'd be totally freaked up. Anways, "5 Channel" Stereo is not a true Mode. However it is a preset, you have to take it into consideration. SACD - DVDA, are not the only things in music that can use "5 Channel" Stereo. When I wanna really jam I turn my "5 Channel" Stereo on. It sounds the same, especially since I calibrated my system with the SPL meter you suggested to get. It is just more clearer and infact *believe it or not* Louder. It suits my thirst for loudness easily and after a song or two makes me go back to REAL "2 Channel" Stereo.
Anyways, I am just rambling. On this forum you have the HT freaks and the Music freaks. The movie freaks will recomend the Bi/Dipole speakers, and the music freaks will recomend the direct speaker like the i38. But this dude has noted that he is getting into HT, so the Di/Bipole speaker will meet his needs. Now if it were me who only watches movies when I am tired of listening to music, which is rarely

Buying a HT mostly speakers, would be a complete waste of money for someone like me.

Dr. Spec · July 2003

Sid, I use the 7 channel DSP mode all the time on my 3803 for radio music and television. I love it for those applications.

I don't (can't) use the DSP multichannel mode for serious music because I use my 2900 with the external analog outputs and bypass the 3803 completely (except for the amps of course), so WYSIWYG - 2 channel stereo or multichannel SACD/DVD-A depending on the source.

Anyway, I wouldn't jump to conclusions about a bi-directional surround speaker "slaughtering" your ears on music. It's only one extra tweet per side and the effect is simply not that obvious. They fill the room a bit better with a somewhat more diffuse sound field, which is the whole point if you are into multi-channel music modes. In bi-pole mode, they still will image well and allow you to easily locate sound effects. I'm just saying don't knock it till ya try it.

Doc

racer4551 · July 2003

Went to circuit city last night to listen to fxi30s, i was right they dont stock the 50s. so i ended up buying the 30s. just one question, since i dont have room for stands i need to wall mount these. what would be the correct or best height from the floor to mount these or doesnt it matter?

pjdami · July 2003

Racer,

Cool deal bud and nice choice of speakers.

For your height question, someone else had a similar question on another thread. Try this link:

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10658

dorokusai · July 2003

I mounted mine 6'5" from the floor, works just fine.

Just make sure they are not blowing right in your ears

racer4551 · July 2003

Kind of limited on height, i have this setup in a basement and it has a drop ceiling which is only 6ft 10inches in height. i trial mounted them about a foot above ear level from my prime listining spot. still testing, already notice a major difference in the way they blend with front soundstage unlike previous bookshelfs i was using.

racer4551 · July 2003

Also sice these are mounted on the wall directly to my right and left they should be set to dipole correct?

dorokusai · July 2003

Right.

surround speaker recomendations

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