Surrounds: F/X vs small towers

snake1

I've had the idea, from the onset of building a HT/Music system, to possibly use smaller tower speakers in the rear for surrounds Ex. RTi8s. Then I found the FX series for surrounds using the bipole/dipole technology and thought that may be a better route. What are your opinions? Which do you have? Which would you prefer?

At first I ruled it out because I thought tower speakers put off a more 'direct' type of sound. Since having the 12s I have discovered that they have a very BROAD sound! Its seems like sound is coming from the entire wall, not just the speaker fronts. Would towers used for surrounds also put off that broad sound?

I must admit though, 4 towers around the room definately has some asthetic appeal!!! Would definately look beast!

snake1

bump

VR3

I would say it may depend on your room.

If you have a DEEP room and you can position the towers back into the room and maybe on some nice sturdy stands, I would go with towers. The full range effect they will provide will be great.

I would say then if you are in a shallower room and you will be sitting right in front of the speakers the FX series would be the way to go.

Polk also has out the FX Wireless ($499.99) - it is essentially like the SDA Surroundbar but for surrounds. You can set it just about anywhere (even has adjustments for this) and will provide multi channel surround use very easily. The best part is you wont need wires and it is already self powered, the whole nine!

Just my thoughts!

snake1

The room is actually 20'wide x 25'long. The entertainment center is on one of the long walls so... Sounds like FX may be the way to go then. That 20' will fill up quick with our sectional plus the entertainment center. Once I get it all moved in and situated I may take a look at it again. I may be able to put towers further to the sides on the back wall to make up for it not being as deep as it would be facing the other way?

Since I already have a CSi5 and RTi12s, I want to have the whole matching set for the FX's as well, but thanks for the suggestion VR!

VR3

Direct firing speakers can pull off surround duties but you will be surprised just how much better the FX series will sound. The FX series will never draw attention to itself and the sound stage they put out will be large where as DR speakers have these issues in a surround setting.

snake1

I know your right... I just need to get over the 'cool' idea of having 4 towers in my LR O:-)

VR3

If you want to go crazy you can acquire two pairs of towers, run them in parallel, back to back and make your self "bipolar" surrounds! (This would not be ideal by any stretch as you would need a 4 ohm stable amplifier and assuming you are going with the RTi8, your surrounds would be 22" deep!

mdaudioguy

Your small towers would be lower than your taller front towers. Kind of odd, if you ask me. I know others have done it. I'm just not a fan of towers for surrounds. YMMV.

HTguru1982

I've tried it and I'm a fan. I had to switch to FX series surrounds only because I no longer have the room for large towers. If you can get the RTi8's or whatever towers you choose a foot off the floor, I think you'll be pretty happy. And it will look bad ****.