front height speaker choice

preech3r

hi guys im wondering if a pair of m10s will sound ok as height speakers im not sure if im missing anything sound quality wise as i havent tried a better speaker is it worth getting another pair of tsi 100s/m30s or just stick with the m10s
thx in advance

my setup
front heights = m10s?
fronts = m50s
center = cs10
surrounds = tsi100s
sub = psw125
avr = onkyo sr608

preech3r

also my HT room is small 15x18 if it matters at all

Knucklehead

From what I understand, as long as the tweeters are at ear level, you should be ok.

kuntasensei

Knucklehead wrote: »

From what I understand, as long as the tweeters are at ear level, you should be ok.

What would the point of height channels placed at ear level be? :biggrin:

preech3r, the general rule is as long as you're using speakers from the same line, you should be good. If you're talking about vintage Monitor 10s, I would get Monitor 30s for height duty since they would better match the Monitor 50s you're using for mains. I used to run Monitor 30 heights and they worked quite well.

The question is: Do you hear a major difference in sound between the heights and mains, or does it just sound like you have floor-to-ceiling speakers? Because if they match well, it should just sound like a wall of sound, with only occasional directional audio in the heights since they're primarily used for non-directional ambient sounds.

newrival

How do you like the heights' effect? I've personally have never heard it before but it seems interesting and I'm a sucker for new tech. lol

Knucklehead

kuntasensei wrote: »

What would the point of height channels placed at ear level be? :biggrin:.

That's what I get for not reading carefully.

kuntasensei

newrival wrote: »

How do you like the heights' effect? I've personally have never heard it before but it seems interesting and I'm a sucker for new tech. lol

I dig it. You'd think it wouldn't have a huge effect, and admittedly, most will find it too subtle to bother, especially using DPL-IIz Height because there's not like an instant "wow" effect. For me, it definitely makes the front soundstage sound much larger and fuller, makes ambient noise sound like it does in the movie theater, and makes overhead pans sound like they are truly over your head. I'm using DPL-IIx Movie + Audyssey DSX to get 9.1, and I've grown really fond of the effect. Tried swapping back to straight 7.1, and once you've lived with the heights in play for a while, there's just no going back.

It's especially cool with gaming... 'cause damned if I know how it knows where to place the sound, but both DPL-IIz and DSX can steer audio to the heights if I fire a rocket above me in Halo: Reach. It's scary how well it works!

polkfarmboy

If the room is really small then the effect sucks for height but if the rooms medium sized its really cool

I think dipolar speakers are the best choice for the dolby 2z

Try some fxi

newrival

Thanks for that! I may have to track down another set of fx1000p's and try it out! It seems like its similar to the change from 5.1to 7.1. The difference was very small for me but noticeable enough to where I didn't want to go back afterwards.
Thanks again!

kuntasensei

Per both Dolby and Audyssey, height channels should be direct radiators, not dipoles. Dipoles can actually negatively impact the height effect, since it depends on a combination of sound from the heights and the surrounds and dipoles create their effect through phase manipulation. In effect, what draws the sound above you is both the sound from the front heights AND the surrounds in varying levels IN PHASE, creating a phantom image above you. Dipoles fire out-of-phase, which is how they sound ambient and non-directional. Depending on the dispersion pattern, this can prevent the phantom imaging that height channels use to work correctly.

polkfarmboy

I had some fxi3 as height upside down stuck to the ceiling in my near my listening position instead of on the wall an swapped out them for rti6 and found that everything sounded good but I preferred the fxi

kuntasensei

In bipole mode, they might be okay because they'd be in-phase and maintain their directionality. But dipoles are specifically designed to reduce localization, whereas height channels DEPEND on your ability to localize them.

preech3r

thx for the info and yes it does sound like a wall of sound i cannot locate the height spkrs (m10s) but this is the first time ive run height so im not sure on what its supposed to sound like but for what its worth i watched a movie and its nice its like im completely immersed in sound and i cannot locate any sound from any speaker so afaik thats what a good setup is suppsed to do for you?

and btw u guys are cool very rarely are forums helpful anymore mostly u just get jack the egomaniac

Face

I need to stop being lazy and install my front height speakers.

newrival

thanks kunta!

kuntasensei

Some recommendations for good height effects:

Ratatouille - The opening scene with the rain should be an instant difference. It sounds like the rain is falling all around you.

Black Hawk Down - Helicopter flyovers sound amazing, and this movie has 'em.

Band Of Brothers - Put on any chapter with mortars firing (the episode Carentan, if I recall correctly). You will be impressed at how "in the room" it sounds. And maybe a little scared.

Twister - Seriously, just about the whole movie. Having been through hurricanes and close to a few tornadoes, it is eerily realistic with height channels.

Se7en - The weather in this movie sets a near constant mood. With heights, it's like being in the middle of it.

leroyjr1

Id like to give height speakers a try.