[Atorak]

Hello all,


First off, I attached an image of my home theater / media room w/ bar to this thread, and I appreciate everyone's help in advance!


I am currently the owner of B&W N804s, and I'm in the process of finding an HTM2 center channel (HTM1 is waaaay too big), as well as deciding what kind of side speakers would work best in my room. Construction is almost complete, I'm painting and trimming as we speak, so moving wires around is definitely NOT an option! Because my room is so long, speakers physically behind the main listening position is also not an option.


I've run two sets of rear speaker cables to each box on the side walls (see picture) almost exactly 2' above the listening position, not directly in line with where my ears will be, but a few inches behind the theater seats.


I had originally planned on going with the DS3's in dipole operation, but I keep reading that they only work great in certain rooms, and that a 685/686 would be a better speaker in a lot of cases. I will only be running 5.1 at this point, the WAF is definitely limiting my running speakers on stands behind the seating.


I am 95% Home Theater/Gaming and about 5% Music, so multichannel audio is not a concern. Any help on the direction I should be moving in would be really appreciated!!!!

 

[Atorak]

Anyone have any advice?? Thanks!

 

[patgilm]

What was the reason the DS3's would only work well in certain rooms. It looks like from the picture you attached that they would work fine. I have four DS7's and use the side surrounds in dipole mode. I tried them both ways, monopole and dipole, and for movies I personally liked dipole for the side surrounds and monopole for the rear surrounds.

 

[Atorak]

I've been doing a lot of reading on the two speakers, and most people seem to be pushing me towards the 685/686 over the DS3. Since my rear wall is so far away from where the DS3s would be mounted, I was wondering if my particular room wouldn't be great using the DS3 as a dipole, and that maybe I should be looking for a direct radiating speaker like the 685/686.

 

[patgilm]

That makes sense. Do the DS3's have a switch for monopole or dipole? If not, I would probably agree and not get them. I like the DS7's because you can switch the modes and see which sounds better to you.

 

[Atorak]

Yes the DS3s can be switched from monopole to dipole.

 

[Atorak]

I hate to bump the thread, but are there any opinions on which direction I should be going? I can adjust the height of the side speakers slightly up or down if necessary, but I'd really like to know if I'm better off with the DS3s or the 685s for side surrounds in my room. THANKS!