Rear Spearker Dilema

Ern Dog
Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
edited May 2006 in Speakers
I'm looking to complete my Polk surround system by purchasing rear surround speakers, but not sure which would be the best fit. Here is what I have so far:

Reciever: Onkyo TX-SR502
Front: Monitor 70
Center: CSM
Sub: SW10
Rear: ?????

Lovin' Life ;)
Post edited by Ern Dog on
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Welcome to the Club...

    Pretty much whichever bookself Monitors you like/ can afford. So long as you can place them a few feet behind your listening position(s), direct radiator designs work well in surround duty.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • Zen Dragon
    Zen Dragon Posts: 501
    edited April 2006
    You ideally want to match the rears to the front so you get the same sound signature from your drivers.
    The monitor 30's or 40's on stands would go nicely with the 70's up front.
    The Family
    Polk SDA-1C's
    Polk SDA-2
    Polk Monitor 10B's
    Polk LSI-9's
    Polk Monitor 5's
    Polk 5 jr's
    Polk PSW-450 Sub
    Polk CSI40 Center

    Do not one day come to die, and discover you have not lived.
    This is pretty f***ed up right here.
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,855
    edited April 2006
    I've found that R30's work.
    Your room configuration will definitely affect your results, though.
    Sal Palooza
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited April 2006
    Zen Dragon wrote:
    You ideally want to match the rears to the front so you get the same sound signature from your drivers.
    Of course if you get the "same sound", something's not wired correctly... :D

    ZD's right, especially for music. For HT timbre matching the surrounds to the front stage is less critical.

    mr.bl,
    Are you mostly movies or multich music?
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited April 2006
    Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be using this system for both music and movies equally.

    This is BIZARRE read on...
    Today I went to Circuit City to give the Monitor 30 and 40's a listen to compare them. I was very confused because the 30's actually sounded better than the 40's especially with low end and sounded clearer on the highs!?!? Can somebody explain this because the salesman couldn't.
    Ern-Dog
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  • Zen Dragon
    Zen Dragon Posts: 501
    edited April 2006
    There are too many variables to attempt an explanation.
    - quality of the speaker connections
    - the source driving them
    - acoustics resulting from their placement in the room

    Take it as a sign from the speaker gods that you can spend less on the Monitor 30's and still be happy. ;)
    The Family
    Polk SDA-1C's
    Polk SDA-2
    Polk Monitor 10B's
    Polk LSI-9's
    Polk Monitor 5's
    Polk 5 jr's
    Polk PSW-450 Sub
    Polk CSI40 Center

    Do not one day come to die, and discover you have not lived.
    This is pretty f***ed up right here.
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  • kingkip
    kingkip Posts: 401
    edited April 2006
    Zen Dragon wrote:
    Take it as a sign from the speaker gods that you can spend less on the Monitor 30's and still be happy. ;)


    You should, however, know that the speaker gods are petty and cruel. They may smile on you now, but in the not so far future they will torment you with the dreaded upgraditis.
    There are two ways to argue with women. Both of them are wrong.
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  • mrbigbluelight
    mrbigbluelight Posts: 9,855
    edited April 2006
    Tour2ma wrote:
    mr.bl, Are you mostly movies or multich music?


    we're home theater. I'd say about 90%HT/10%music.

    ....that'll be changing soon, as I believe we've seen just about every movie since "Birth of a Nation" ......twice.

    ...except for "Dracula 3000", which we saw half of. Before becoming ill.
    Ditto for "Freddy Got Fingered".
    Sal Palooza
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2006
    mbbl,
    LOL.. How 'bout "Joe's Apartment"?

    With that mix, it's not surprising that the R's work well for you. As you shift to more serious music listening, you may notice more of a mismatch... or not...
    Zen Dragon wrote:
    ... - acoustics resulting from their placement in the room...
    My vote goes here... although I've been in a CC where the right ch, Monitor 50 was only seeing two or three strands of a multi-strand, zip cord wire.

    I'd only add that bigger is not necessarily better. Across all the current Polk lines, i.e., Monitor, RTi, LSi, my favorites are generally the one just down from the TOTL... Specifically:
    - Monitor 60 (or 50),
    - RTi 10,
    - LSi 9.
    OK... sometimes two down...

    Positive thing is that you should be able to buy the 30's and try them at home. If they don't have the magic you heard in-store, you should be able to upgrade to the 40's with full credit from the 30's purchase. Check with the store, but CC used to do this.
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited May 2006
    It is easy to get fooled thinking that just because it is bigger and costs more money that it is going to sound better, but I have to Trust my ears.

    Thanks people.
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  • Tour2ma
    Tour2ma Posts: 10,177
    edited May 2006
    Ern Dog wrote:
    ... I have to Trust my ears.

    Thanks people.
    Well... if that is your approach, you could have saved us all a bunch of typing... ;)

    You're welcome and happy hunting.

    Please let us know how it turns out...
    More later,
    Tour...
    Vox Copuli
    Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. - Old English Proverb

    "Death doesn't come with a Uhaul." - Dennis Gardner
    "It's easy to get lost in price vs performance vs ego vs illusion." - doro
    "There is a certain entertainment value in ripping the occaisonal (sic) buttmunch..." - TroyD
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  • Ern Dog
    Ern Dog Posts: 2,237
    edited May 2006
    I noticed for a little more $$$ I can get the Rti4's for the rear. Some one mentioned that matching the rear speaker timbre to the fronts is key. Would the Rti4 match my Monitor 70 fronts?
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