Towers for Surround Duty ?

larry777

Do many people use Tower Speakers for surrounds in lets say a 5.1 setup ? As an example, if a person could get 3 mth old RtiA7's for aprox $400 to $450,would they add more to your sound field than lets say the FxiA6 Surrounds ? Or would it just be better to get the Surrounds or Bookshelf speakers. In addition, if you expanded to a 7.1 system,could you Run the RTiA7's on your sides and the FxiA6's or Bookshelf speakers as your Rears. AVR would be a pioneer SC-35 to start with the addition of a seperate Amp later on. The front L and R are Rti10's with a CSiA6 center and an SVS Sub.

BlueFox

I upgrade the surround LSi7s to LSi15s and never looked back. Along with replacing the LSiC with a PSB Synchrony One center, using LSi15s was a great upgrade.

gfong

I tried it using my RTi A7's (5.1) as the rears and I did not like how they sounded compared to my FXi A4's. (Personel opinion)
The 7's worked great in the back and were very clear and did what they were supose to do.
In my opinion I felt that the 7's where not being used to thier potential in the back.

I had them set as small, had 120 w amp driving only those rears and all that came out of them was highs and mids along with ambient sounds. (to me that is what the rears are used for)
I hooked up the FXi 4's and the sound field at the back was fuller and not as directional as the 7's.
I experimented with multi channel SACD and the 7's at the rear sounded better than the FXi A4's.

I have not heard a FXi A6 so I can not comment on the sound and I really think that it is personel taste on how you like your back stage set up. some like it loud and direct, some like it to blend in with the rest of the speakers. "To me", the FXi A4's blend better in my set-up and for my taste.

Good luck, and hopefully you will get some other responses.

wayne3burk

I think it's a good question... I've wondered the same thing. 20 yrs ago 5.1 AVRs offered 100W per channel for the front two speakers and typically 30W for center and rear speakers. So obviously the intent at the time was for "ambient" sound. I think if you want to use your system for DTS NEO6 or some other full "matrix" or discrete music mode you might want to consider equally capable speakers on all corners / sides / rear.

At least that's probably what I'll do once I buy an up-to-date AVR / Pre-Pro.

tonyb

Give it a whirl. Thats the fun thing about this hobby,trying different things,seeing what works for you and what doesn't. You could always re-sell at no to minimal loss if you don't like it.

nooshinjohn

I run SDA/SRS 2.3TL's for mains and LSi-15's as surrounds and could not be happier with towers for surround duties. I will never go back to a satellite of bookshelf for that purpose. When I go back to a 7.1 setup, I will consider LSiFX for the two rears, but in 5.1 towers are the way to go, for me anyway.

Monster Jam

Put me in the nooshinjohn camp: many of us use LSi15 as surrounds for various reasons. I bought a pair of LSi F/X speakers that I am using with my Mac, but when I move into a different house (one with a dedicated and larger theatre room), the LSi F/X will be put to use in a 7.1 configuration.

All speakers are set to Large in my set-up.

larry777

Thanks for all the comments everyone. Using Towers as surrounds seems to be a common practice for many people with good results. So it will stay on the table as an option for me also. I am using a 5.1 setup now with the Rti4's for surrounds but I have a second pair of RTi4's to complete a 7.1 system. I may try the 7.1 when my SC-35 comes in but I am thinking towers because I am preparing another H/T Room downstairs using my Denon 888. The RTi4's could go in that room so they won't be wasted and my extra sub ( PSW 505 ) would still match with them ok.

Earthy

nooshinjohn wrote: »

I run SDA/SRS 2.3TL's for mains and LSi-15's as surrounds and could not be happier with towers for surround duties. I will never go back to a satellite of bookshelf for that purpose. When I go back to a 7.1 setup, I will consider LSiFX for the two rears, but in 5.1 towers are the way to go, for me anyway.

Sounds like your saying you would use the LSI-15's as the sides and LSiFX for the rears. I would likely go the other way.
I am on the hunt for another pair of LS70's or LS90's so I can put towers in the rear of my HT.

disneyjoe7

I have used and still do Towers for my surrounds and Love it. You be surprised at the bass that comes out of them at times.