voice-matching

brittan_farmer
brittan_farmer Posts: 12
edited August 2002 in Speakers
Everything I have read has stressed getting voice-matched speakers when building a 5.1 speaker system. Does this make it impossible to build a system in steps. For example, you started with a stereo pair. Then several years later, you wanted to add a center and surrounds for 5.1 capabilities, but find that the line has been changed, or find some better option from a different line or manufacturer. How noticable would the lack of voice-matched speakers be.

What I'm asking is how much of a difference can you hear between different speakers in a 5.1 speaker system.
Post edited by brittan_farmer on
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2002
    This is MY opinon only......for your front soundstage, I would try to match as closely as possible, or the same brand at least. IE: most Polk speakers match pretty well.

    My opinion is that the rears are less critical but that is my opinion. Good ol' Russ has a kicking B&W front soundstage and some pair of ganked up Wal-Mart AR's in the rear, but it sounds pretty damn good.

    It's pretty much a personal thing, so if it works for you than go with it.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,987
    edited August 2002
    Wal Mart? Friggin Wal Mart rears?

    Man, that was an un-prevoked attack if I've ever seen one.....
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • Aaron
    Aaron Posts: 1,853
    edited August 2002
    Troy,
    Mantis is going to be all over this post like a beer in Russ's hand! Who wants to take bets that he'll disagree with you?

    brittan_farmer,
    No, it doesn't make it impossible. Take a look at Polk's RT line. They made the same RT speakers for 3 years or so. Then they upgraded them to the RTi line, which aren't dramatically different. The RT and RTi supposedly mate well. Roughly 2 years later they released a newer RTi series. Again, they're supposed to mate well with the older RTi line. If it was me, I would always match the same vintage (unless we're talking women).

    There's always going to be something newer and better. You can't avoid it. Polk will always come out with new and improved speakers as well, but they do a good job of maintaining backward compatibility (voice matching-wise).

    Aaron
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,077
    edited August 2002
    man, I just hadda throw you under the bus for GP's. They sound pretty damn good though...

    Oh, I have no doubt that mantis will have a different opinion, but that's fine. I'm of the opinion that rears are pretty much for ambient effects and it isn't the end of the world if they aren't perfectly matched.

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited August 2002
    My RTA8T deliver more than just ambient for my surrounds my friend!!! they are some kick **** speakers for 10 years old and play well in 7 channel stereo. I bought the 800i's because dimensions were a fit but ... ARG... I have to use my Bose cubes for rears right now.... ARG<ARG ARG ahh FFFFFFFFFF! Whatever..., it works pretty good for now I guess.
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • Aaron
    Aaron Posts: 1,853
    edited August 2002
    I have to use my Bose cubes for rears right now.... ARG<ARG ARG ahh FFFFFFFFFF!
    Ahahahah! So I'm not the only sucker with Bose cubes!!! It won't be long until my RT55's take their place.

    Aaron
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited August 2002
    Cool!
    The history on the Bose is... my Step Father worked for TCI in the NorthEast and they had a Christmas promo...
    I bought 2 Cubes on a swivel/ 2 speakers per with the SUB for 300 bucks. I had ta for that price, the cubes stayed and I gave the Sub to Karl whome just puchased the speakers from Nascarmann. I'm trying to convice Karl not to spend alot of $$$coin on the receiver and buy components in an attempt to prevent him from tying up the budget. Any thought on putting togeter a real cheap DD5.1 system would be cool.

    When I first started reeading this forum you guy's put together what I think would be an excellent 2 channel system for less than 700?? I think the # is correct but what do you think we coud build a home system for? lets stay with minimums but put it together such that improvements are easy.

    I'm not checking spelling and don't really care and all options are welcomed.

    first sell was Nascarmanns speakers so Karl has a good start on front's L?R/

    Lets GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited August 2002
    So all of you got your gloves on and ready for THE MANTIS to rip this post up????????not this time................
    But I will give some 5.1 Advice......
    Voice matching is very important in a 5.1 digital system.Many DVD's have alot of Information coming from all the channels.Sometimes things move around the room and need to keep the sound the same.I read you have been doing your homework on the subject,what you have read about voice matching is correct.But......
    Like stated above,I assume you own Polk speakers,they do a good job of blending there lines.I can say that was true with the rt lines of the last 4 years as I have owned some from the rt and the rti lines and they go together extremely well.But not from line to line like rt to Lsi..this doesn't work well.
    You need to think about what you want your system to do and how well you want it to work.
    Troy has stated that the rears for him have little meaning...but for others like me they need to match exactly.I personally get so annoyed with they don't match.The center channel has to match,this is even more cridical as you'll be able to hear a difference from L-C-R movement.Rears make a difference if matched........just think about how important it is to you and your answers alie there
    calm..ever so calm...............Loreena ..I need you playing
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited August 2002
    Go Mantis Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!
    ***WAREMTAE***
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,200
    edited August 2002
    Took a breath of relief......awe thats better.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • gidrah
    gidrah Posts: 3,049
    edited August 2002
    Some stuff you'll never notice a difference, but some stuff won't sound smooth across the front. You can localize each speaker much easier. Polks match-up pretty well and I wouldn't worry.

    I wouldn't worry to much about the rears matching unless you do 5.1-audio.
    Make it Funky! :)
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  • HBombToo
    HBombToo Posts: 5,256
    edited August 2002
    Interesting...
    ***WAREMTAE***
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