Quote:
Originally Posted by
obts000 
I have a set of Klipsch THX Ultra II speakers on order at Ultimate. I ordered KS-525s to use as side surrounds and KL-525's to use as rear speakers. Now I'm wondering if that is a very standard installation or whether most people use the KS-525s in the back, too. Also whether anyone has compared the two.
The store demo installations seem to use the KL-525 for the rear, but I see the Klipsch website bills them as smaller LCR speakers and shows the KS-525 in the rear.
I actually had the same question which I posted on the Klipsch speaker thread. I have discussed this with professional installers(read those that do this kind of thing day in and out and also sell the products we own) and here is what I got:
"It's really difficult to give you advise when I haven't seen, or more importantly heard your theatre (same goes for internet experts). Without that, about all I can offer are some suggestions.
1. If the room is really well damped, the more you would lean toward dipole/tripoles, as they provide the indirect sound reflections that the room is dampening out. If the room is reflective, then direct firing speakers will give you a more precise initial sound, with the room providing the secondary+ reflections.
2. If the speakers are close to the listening position, dipoles/tripoles are preferred, as they are directed around the listener, whereas direct are focused right at the listeners head. A good way to envision this is to picture the sound as flashlights. You don't want the surround speakers like a high powered spot light beaming right at the listeners head, you want them like ambient mood lighting, surrounding the listener. The 2 ways are either to move the speakers far away from the listener so the sound is diffuse before reaching the listener (like a commercial theatre) or if the speakers are closer, to use dipole/tripole speakers.
3. There really is no right or wrong, and in fact even in the same movie different types of sounds call for different speakers. If it's a specific sound (gunshot from behind left), you'd want a direct firing, if it's the sound of wind/forest/waves etc., you want a reflected. That's where tripoles (i.e. M&K 150) came from, trying to be the best of both. But ask yourself, what is the majority of sound information coming from the rears in a movie/TV. It's ambient/environmental sounds, not directional. So a reflected speaker is more suited more of the time. Really, neither is wrong, and personal choice does play a factor.
4. The surrounds should match in tone and timber. Although the drivers are similar, looking at the enclosures I don't believe the KL's and the KS's enclosure's will have the same character.
So given the above, hopefully you're able to make the decision on your room. Until I've seen and heard it, it would really be irresponsible of me (or anyone) to tell you what to do.
Even on Klipsch's own product page for the package that includes the KS and KL's, the KL's are intended for rear centers. To me this is only feasible in a room where the back wall is a far enough back from the seating position to use direct firing speakers. Yet then in the product pictures they show a theatre which is using 4 KS's! Lol As you can see in that pic, the rear row of seating is right up against the back wall, so KS's are the correct choice for that room/seating, you just would have thought they would have put a pic in showing 2 KS's and 2 KL's. That room with the rear row of seating removed would be fine for KL's in the rear."
Hope this helps you as now I know what I will be doing!
Regards,
Rod
