Diffusive?

polkyphil38
polkyphil38 Posts: 447
edited June 2006 in Speakers
Hello people I have noticed that a lot of Polk owners do NOT use the Fxi3's or the Fxi5's. Why is that? My couch is directly against the back wall and when watching dvd I prefer to have a more diffused sound. Not being able to localize where the ambience is coming from gives me the kind of home theater effect I want. So, why do so many of you prefer a direct radiating speaker as opposed to the di/bi-poles? Is there something I am missing? I only have room for 5.1 and am not sure if the di/bi-pole speakers are in my best interest. Keep in mind that I do NOT listen to multi-channel music as I much prefer 2-channel. I fully understand that if a person listens to a lot of multi-channel music a direct firing speaker is essential with respect to the rears. So fellow Polkies please help me out if you dont mind. Thanks and have a great day.:)
The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
Post edited by polkyphil38 on
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  • bertram
    bertram Posts: 53
    edited June 2006
    For one thing, you do need a wall near di/bi surrounds for their sound to be properly propogated into the room. Some people, especially those with large rooms, have their surrounds sitting on stands in the middle of the room so direct-radiating would be a better choice.

    I have FXi5s againt the rear wall in my HT room and they sound great. In my music system, I use LSi9 for surrounds not only because the source is music but because they are near my computer work area and away from any reflecting walls. As an experiment, I tried the FXi5s in their place and there was a slight deterioration in the music's presentation.
    Multichannel Music:

    Sony SCD-C2000ES SACD
    Denon 3803 AVR (pre/pro duty)
    Outlaw 755 amp
    Outlaw ICBM
    Polk LSi15/LSiC/LSi9 (front/center/surround)
    SVS PCU

    HT:

    Sony 9100ES DVD
    Outlaw 990 pre/pro
    Outlaw 7100 amp
    Panasonic TH-37PX50U plasma
    Polk RTi8/CSi5/RTi6/FXi5(front/center/surround/back)
    SVS PCU
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    bertram wrote:
    For one thing, you do need a wall near di/bi surrounds for their sound to be properly propogated into the room. Some people, especially those with large rooms, have their surrounds sitting on stands in the middle of the room so direct-radiating would be a better choice.

    I have FXi5s againt the rear wall in my HT room and they sound great. In my music system, I use LSi9 for surrounds not only because the source is music but because they are near my computer work area and away from any reflecting walls. As an experiment, I tried the FXi5s in their place and there was a slight deterioration in the music's presentation.
    So are you saying that since my couch is up against the back wall where there is very little room behind my seating position that the di-poles would work really well for a more diffused sound??? I only have the room for 5.1 and could care less about multi-channel music listening. I do NOT want to know where the sound is emunating from. It is essential, at least for me to obtain a more diffusive sound when watching dvd.
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • bertram
    bertram Posts: 53
    edited June 2006
    polkyphil38 wrote:
    So are you saying that since my couch is up against the back wall where there is very little room behind my seating position that the di-poles would work really well for a more diffused sound??? I only have the room for 5.1 and could care less about multi-channel music listening. I do NOT want to know where the sound is emunating from. It is essential, at least for me to obtain a more diffusive sound when watching dvd.

    Ideally, diffuse surrounds in a 5.1 should go on the side walls, above and slightly behind the seating area. In your case, you have to settle for the back wall option, which I believe will work reasonably well for many movies. I have my 7.1 BACK surrounds (FXi5) on the rear wall which I once tried using in that location as the main surrounds in an experiment (just a matter of changing the wires on the back of the amp). They did the job OK, after proper level calibration. Of course, if you could find a way to move the couch at least a couple of feet away from the back wall that'd make things that much better.
    Multichannel Music:

    Sony SCD-C2000ES SACD
    Denon 3803 AVR (pre/pro duty)
    Outlaw 755 amp
    Outlaw ICBM
    Polk LSi15/LSiC/LSi9 (front/center/surround)
    SVS PCU

    HT:

    Sony 9100ES DVD
    Outlaw 990 pre/pro
    Outlaw 7100 amp
    Panasonic TH-37PX50U plasma
    Polk RTi8/CSi5/RTi6/FXi5(front/center/surround/back)
    SVS PCU
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    bertram wrote:
    Ideally, diffuse surrounds in a 5.1 should go on the side walls, above and slightly behind the seating area. In your case, you have to settle for the back wall option, which I believe will work reasonably well for many movies. I have my 7.1 BACK surrounds (FXi5) on the rear wall which I once tried using in that location as the main surrounds in an experiment (just a matter of changing the wires on the back of the amp). They did the job OK, after proper level calibration. Of course, if you could find a way to move the couch at least a couple of feet away from the back wall that'd make things that much better.
    Great thanks for the insights. I may be able to move my couch a foot or so away from the back wall but certainly not much more than that. Just dont have that much room as I reside in a mobile home.
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited June 2006
    What part of KY are you from? I'm originaly from Muhlenberg County-pretty close to Owensboro.

    BTW, FXi5's are on my list to purchase for a completed 5.1 sound system :)
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    MattN03 wrote:
    What part of KY are you from? I'm originaly from Muhlenberg County-pretty close to Owensboro.

    BTW, FXi5's are on my list to purchase for a completed 5.1 sound system :)
    I am from Henderson Matt. I used to mange Custom Audio in Henderson. Ever hear of Custom Audio? There is one in Hoptown, Madisonville, Henderson, and Evansville, Indiana.
    Good to see a fellow Kentuckian here.
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited June 2006
    I believe I'd been into Custom Audio in Madisonville several years ago. My parents live about 20 minutes from Madisonville-their in Bremen.
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    MattN03 wrote:
    I believe I'd been into Custom Audio in Madisonville several years ago. My parents live about 20 minutes from Madisonville-their in Bremen.
    That is kool man. So you live in MS now eh? BTW, really like your set-up--seen some of your pics. Looks really good and I am sure it sounds even better. How did you end up in MS? What kinda work do you do? Tell us a bit more about yourself if you dont mind. Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a good evening Matt. My name is Phil btw. :eek: :eek:
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • cheddar
    cheddar Posts: 2,390
    edited June 2006
    When mounting the speakers to the side, pointed at the listening position, you would choose the di-pole setting that puts the two sets of drivers out of phase with each other. This ideally creates a cancellation area to the front of the speaker's axis so that only reflected sound is heard at the listening position. Mounted on the back wall, you should choose the bi-pole setting so it can throw sound forward again.

    These diagrams might help you figure if your getting the reflections you need:
    http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache:VXxgBphnW1AJ:www.polkaudio.com/education/tech_article.php%3Fid%3D27+bi-pole+di-pole&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited June 2006
    polkyphil38 wrote:
    That is kool man. So you live in MS now eh? BTW, really like your set-up--seen some of your pics. Looks really good and I am sure it sounds even better. How did you end up in MS? What kinda work do you do? Tell us a bit more about yourself if you dont mind. Looking forward to hearing from you. Have a good evening Matt. My name is Phil btw. :eek: :eek:

    Yeah, I live in MS now-just a few miles south of Memphis. I graduated from Murray State in 02 (went to MCC for a couple years actually) and took a job in Memphis as a product engineer at a window & door company. My wife is also from Muhlenberg, but we didn't meet until Murray State through a mutual friend. If it wasn't for both of us liking our jobs, we'd be back in KY in about two seconds. Memphis sucks....

    Thanks for the system compliments! It's my first H/T and I'm loving it. Even my wife is coming around to having the larger speakers (mainly the RTi8's) around and is enjoying the sound. ;)

    Go Big Blue!!!! lol (It gets old seeing all the TN, Ole Miss, MS State, & AR stuff around!)
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    MattN03 wrote:
    Yeah, I live in MS now-just a few miles south of Memphis. I graduated from Murray State in 02 (went to MCC for a couple years actually) and took a job in Memphis as a product engineer at a window & door company. My wife is also from Muhlenberg, but we didn't meet until Murray State through a mutual friend. If it wasn't for both of us liking our jobs, we'd be back in KY in about two seconds. Memphis sucks....

    Thanks for the system compliments! It's my first H/T and I'm loving it. Even my wife is coming around to having the larger speakers (mainly the RTi8's) around and is enjoying the sound. ;)

    Go Big Blue!!!! lol (It gets old seeing all the TN, Ole Miss, MS State, & AR stuff around!)
    Kool Matt I started college at Murray BUT ended up graduating from USI in Evansville. My daughter lives in Jackson, TN--she does not care for it much. Murray St. is a good school and wish my daughter would go there. She seems to be hell bent on going to Austin Peay in Clarksville. Anyways, nice to meet you and feel free to stay in touch.:) :)
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited June 2006
    polkyphil38 wrote:
    Kool Matt I started college at Murray BUT ended up graduating from USI in Evansville. My daughter lives in Jackson, TN--she does not care for it much. Murray St. is a good school and wish my daughter would go there. She seems to be hell bent on going to Austin Peay in Clarksville. Anyways, nice to meet you and feel free to stay in touch.:) :)

    Ditto. We really enjoyed Murray-I'd love to live there if we could. Land Between the Lakes is a great place to spend time, and Patti's is one of my wife's favorite restaurants. :p If you're visiting your daughter in Jackson, and want to drive another 1.5 hours into the Memphis/north MS area, let me know. You can come over and check out the system if you like. ;)
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited June 2006
    i use FX surrounds in my 5.1 system on the side walls near the rear of the room. like you.. my couch is up against the back wall. i get great results in bi-pole mode. so to answer your question.. more people use FX series speakers than you might think. with good or great results. ;)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    MattN03 wrote:
    Ditto. We really enjoyed Murray-I'd love to live there if we could. Land Between the Lakes is a great place to spend time, and Patti's is one of my wife's favorite restaurants. :p If you're visiting your daughter in Jackson, and want to drive another 1.5 hours into the Memphis/north MS area, let me know. You can come over and check out the system if you like. ;)
    Well thank you Matt. Unfortunately, I hardly ever go to Jackson. Usually meet in Murray. However, if you ever come home let me know maybe you could come up and listen to my set-up. Think you might like my Paradigm Studio 20 v.3's and my Mirage S12 sub. I also have the Athena Point 5 MKII system and (2) Acoustic Research ARPR808 8" powered subs. My receiver is a Pioneer 1015. Anyways, mine is nothing fancy but if you are ever up this way shoot me a pm. I live on the northend of town not too far from the twin Bridges in Henderson. Have a great day Matt.
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    danger boy wrote:
    i use FX surrounds in my 5.1 system on the side walls near the rear of the room. like you.. my couch is up against the back wall. i get great results in bi-pole mode. so to answer your question.. more people use FX series speakers than you might think. with good or great results. ;)
    Danger !Danger! Will Robinson---LOL!!!!!!!!!! Just kidding!!!!:eek: :eek: No really thanks for the info. It does seem like a lot of Polk owners prefer to use the
    Rti4/6's as rears. This could be because many Polk owners listen to a lot of multi-channel music whereas I don't. So, it sounds like the Fxi3's would be the right fit. Have a great day there now dangerboy---dont go around being too dangerous!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!:D :D
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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  • MattN03
    MattN03 Posts: 558
    edited June 2006
    polkyphil38 wrote:
    Well thank you Matt. Unfortunately, I hardly ever go to Jackson. Usually meet in Murray. However, if you ever come home let me know maybe you could come up and listen to my set-up. Think you might like my Paradigm Studio 20 v.3's and my Mirage S12 sub. I also have the Athena Point 5 MKII system and (2) Acoustic Research ARPR808 8" powered subs. My receiver is a Pioneer 1015. Anyways, mine is nothing fancy but if you are ever up this way shoot me a pm. I live on the northend of town not too far from the twin Bridges in Henderson. Have a great day Matt.

    Will do.
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  • polkyphil38
    polkyphil38 Posts: 447
    edited June 2006
    MattN03 wrote:
    Will do.
    Great Matt take care buddy.:D :D
    The way one uses a product is a much more SIGNIFICANT factor than which product(s) he uses.
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