surround vs bookshelf

SteveaReno

I'd like to hear from owners of both the FXi5's and RTi6's. I'm debating between the 2 right now for my surrounds, and am leaning more to the FXi5's since I figure they would offer me the best of both worlds. I currently use bookshelf speakers for my surrounds and they sound good, but they are not Polk & not voice-matched with the rest of my speakers. I know I would be happy with the RTi6's, but would I be happier with the FXi5's? That's the question. These are going to be used purely for HT, so I'm trying to find the best in-home theater experience possible with the options available to me. I'm not looking for what I should get, where I should place it, etc. Just opinions from owners as to why they got what they did, and a description of the soundfield the speakers create.

racer4551

Hi steveareno, welcome to the polk forum,what are you using for front main and center speakers?Also are you plannig to use as side surrounds or rear surrounds?

SteveaReno

Originally posted by racer4551
Hi steveareno, welcome to the polk forum,what are you using for front main and center speakers?Also are you plannig to use as side surrounds or rear surrounds?

Thanks for the warm greetings! I'm new here because I rediscovered Polk, somewhat by accident. I have RTi8's up front, CSi5 center, Hsu sub & Onkyo TXSR701. The speakers in question will be directly on either side of the listening position, not behind.

AsSiMiLaTeD

Originally posted by SteveaReno
Thanks for the warm greetings! I'm new here because I rediscovered Polk, somewhat by accident. I have RTi8's up front, CSi5 center, Hsu sub & Onkyo TXSR701. The speakers in question will be directly on either side of the listening position, not behind.

Are the surrounds in a corner or is the back of the seating area open?

SteveaReno

Are the surrounds in a corner or is the back of the seating area open?

Seating area is up against a wall for the most part. The speakers I currently use are about 2' out from the back wall. One side of the room has a wall, the other is open, so they need to be fairly close to the back wall(otherwise people would just run right into them).

brianwayne671

I used to have the FXi30's and went with the RTi28's instead. I also have my seating area against a wall with one wall open and found that with the dipoles I lost quite a bit with the open wall due to the fact there wasn't anything to reflect off of. I preferred the direct firing bookshelves myself. Hope this helps.

SteveaReno

Originally posted by brianwayne671
I used to have the FXi30's and went with the RTi28's instead. I also have my seating area against a wall with one wall open and found that with the dipoles I lost quite a bit with the open wall due to the fact there wasn't anything to reflect off of. I preferred the direct firing bookshelves myself. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input. One theory I had in favor of the FX is that I can set them up like bookshelf's, meaning that the one half with the tweeter & 6 1/2" driver will be facing the listening area, just like a bookshelf. Would I get the same sound/response from them if I positioned them that way, or do you think I'm better off with just the RTi6's? Even though the FXi's may not work completely as designed in my setup, I know that eventually they will be used that way.

Pauly

The 701 IMO is a steller amp for the price and options. I have only had it about 3 weeks but was a great upgrade and like McD's "I'm Lovin It!"

brianwayne671

Steve-

I know what you're saying about having the larger driver facing the listening area. I reversed my FXi30's to accomplish this very thing. I still found that you can more accurately tweak the positioning of the direct firing bookshelves to get better sound. IMO, I would probably only purchase dipoles again in a 7.1 setup as sides.

Brian

josh_parsons626

I know that for side surrounds that dipoles are the best way to go. But what about for rear surrounds I've heard that bookshelves are the better way to go. But wouldn't dipoles be better for rear surrounds than bookshelves? I mean you got them on the sides and they're going back and forth all over the side walls, then you got them on the back wall as well and the sound goes from the side wall and just continues to the back wall and to the other side wall to back up front in one big circle, right? I mean, am I totally full of it or am I making at least a little bit of sense? You would think that's why they call it "surround" sound, right?

danger boy

josh_parsons626 wrote:

I know that for side surrounds that dipoles are the best way to go. But what about for rear surrounds I've heard that bookshelves are the better way to go. But wouldn't dipoles be better for rear surrounds than bookshelves? I mean you got them on the sides and they're going back and forth all over the side walls, then you got them on the back wall as well and the sound goes from the side wall and just continues to the back wall and to the other side wall to back up front in one big circle, right? I mean, am I totally full of it or am I making at least a little bit of sense? You would think that's why they call it "surround" sound, right?

seems to me that you're working yourself into a frenzy for no reason at all.. there just isn't enough software out there to warrant a all out 7.1 surround sound set up IMHO. Go with 5.1 and use the surround either on side walls or rear walls.

Home theater should be fun.. not a drag. I think you're thinking about this to much myself.