Speaker selection and placement advise needed

RonKr
RonKr Posts: 4
edited November 2005 in Speakers
I currently have a HT setup and it sounds really nice. Still I'm wanting to upgrade the rear speakers.

System now:
Onkyo TXSR-601 6.1
Polk R50 L/R Mains
Polk CSI30 Center
JBL Sub
Infinity Bookshelf L/R Rears -- Don't like these

I want to replace the rears with Polk speakers but am not sure what direction to go. First as you can see this system is setup 5.1 now. Would it be better to make this system 6.1 by purchasing some Polk side speakers and a rear? Would going to 6.1 make a big difference? IF not I am considering getting some R30's for the rear and elevating them or possibly FXi3 or 5's. The room is 18 long and 14 wide so it's a pretty small space.

Thank for any advise...
Post edited by RonKr on
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Comments

  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited November 2005
    I used to run 6.1 now 5.1. My room is the same size, LP is about 10' going the long way. I really didn't notice the surround back offered any appreciable upgrade. R50s, 30s, 20s or 15s would all work well as surrounds. The FXs should be fine too.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • RonKr
    RonKr Posts: 4
    edited November 2005
    I'll probably end up going with some R15 or R20's if I can find them reasonable for the surrounds and mount them on the wall or on some shelves I will need to install. Was looking at the FX series because they seem like they would look nicer on the walls but I'm not sure if I can justify the cost when the R15 or 20's will probably sound just as good with my system. I really like the way my system sounds now as it's neutral. The existing rears are just too thin so that's why I would like to upgrade.

    BTW Ron how does that CSi3 sound compared to the CSI25/30 series. Have you ever had a chance to compare?
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  • PolkThug
    PolkThug Posts: 7,532
    edited November 2005
    Welcome to the forum. I would just go with some R15's to tide you over for awhile.
    Never Forget
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  • Ron Temple
    Ron Temple Posts: 3,212
    edited November 2005
    RonKr wrote:
    BTW Ron how does that CSi3 sound compared to the CSI25/30 series. Have you ever had a chance to compare?

    Not to the 25 or 30. The 30 was recommended as a very good match when I was looking. I picked up the CSi3 for a song. Anyway, I never miss a whisper of dialog it's so clear and that's level matched with my mains. For music I trim my center by -3db. The CSi3 is that much brighter than the Rs.

    Combo rig:

    Onkyo NR1007 pre-pro, Carver TFM 45(fronts), Carver TFM 35 (surrounds)
    SDA 1C, CS400i, SDA 2B
    PB13Ultra RO
    BW Silvers
    Oppo BDP-83SE
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  • RonKr
    RonKr Posts: 4
    edited November 2005
    Well I just bought a pair of FXi30's. I'll use those as the surrounds and use my old surrounds as the rears in a 6.1 setup. I'll probably place the FXi30's 90 degrees and very close to ear level when sitting and use the dipole setting. The rears will be about 8 feet directly behind my seating area. This will leave me with 8 feet from front to surround and 8 feet from surround to rear.

    Does anyone know if I can do a parallel connection from the receiver output to the rears so that I have two rears from one output or is that a no-no...
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