[TomT99]

Monopoles or bipoles for the rear surrounds?

I'm going to be sitting on a couch up against the wall with end tables on each side. The speakers will be about 3-4 feet away from me. I was told by Klipsch that the surrounds would be wasted as they fire 180 degrees in all directions, whereas the bookshelfs I could point at my listening area. Here is the layout of my place. I will be using the living room projecting on the far left wall in this image sitting on a couch opposite it. Wouldn't sound from the bipoles be lost to that hallway that leads to the bedroom since there is no wall there to bounce off of?

Here are the surrounds and bookshelfs I am considering: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsc...ack/6228085.p?id=1219198824428&skuId=6228085 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsc...ack/6833016.p?id=1219239884619&skuId=6833016

 

[fatbottom]

If you are smack against the rear speakers you WANT to have a dedicated surround speaker. I'm close to side and surrounds and use bipoles, I had monopoles before and I disliked them.

 

[jaykay0222]

If you are smack against the rear speakers you WANT to have a dedicated surround speaker. I'm close to side and surrounds and use bipoles, I had monopoles before and I disliked them.

+1 for bipoles.

I used bookshelves for surround speakers before and changed it to Klipsch RS62ii (klipsch family in HT room). For movies, I like bipoles

 

[TomT99]

+1 for bipoles.

I used bookshelves for surround speakers before and changed it to Klipsch RS62ii (klipsch family in HT room). For movies, I like bipoles

What's the diff between bipoles and monopoles? Won't a lot of the surround speakers sound be wasted since it's shooting in other directions?

 

[fatbottom]

bipoles are basically like putting two monopoles back to back, or back to back angled slightly. No it won't be wasted, it just creates a wider arc. If you have four identical bookshelf speakers wire them up put them back to back and see what you think, angle them out a bit like those Klipsch speakers.

Also if you want to see what dipoles are like, reverse the phase on the rear facing speakers.

 

[TomT99]

bipoles are basically like putting two monopoles back to back, or back to back angled slightly. No it won't be wasted, it just creates a wider arc. If you have four identical bookshelf speakers wire them up put them back to back and see what you think, angle them out a bit like those Klipsch speakers.

Also if you want to see what dipoles are like, reverse the phase on the rear facing speakers.

And it wouldn't be more advantageous to use bookshelfs because I can angle them directly at me?

 

[fatbottom]

Not really. because they're so close, they are obvious where the sound is coming from. because bipoles, dipoles, and tripoles spread sound out more they are less locatable and more ideal if you are close to them.

My side/surrounds are about 4' feet away.

Also they're slimmer so they're easier to place, and have built in wall mounts. They are double, if not triple as slim as a wall mount with wall mount/speaker stands.

I use a couple of pairs of Definitive Technology BP-2X. Also have pair of dipoles but I think they are a bit too much diffused sound.

You need to borrow a pair.

Bipoles are with both sides in phase.
Dipoles are with one side out of phase (rear facing I believe)
Tripoles are I think dipoles with a front facing inphase array, you may get a woofer, or a tweeter or a woofer and a tweeter.

M&K are one of the few that make Tripoles.

Some brands have a switch you can change from bipole to dipole. SVS CS Ultra rears have I believe that switch, also Monitor Audio.

 

[w1000i]

http://www.pooraudiophile.com/2015/03/reader-questions-which-is-better.html

 

[fbov]

Here. Take one of these and call me in the morning...
http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/surround-speaker-dipole-vs-bipole

It sounds like Klipsch is talking more from a mounting standpoint than an acoustic one! It's not the mount on the speaker, it's the speaker you mount that matters.

To me, it all depends on how far the speaker is from your listening positions. With enough space, a direct radiating speaker is fine, but as space becomes limited...

Bipole and Dipole are two ways to wire a pair of speakers designed to share one box. .
- A bipole is wired in-phase, so its sound field is diffuse, but still strong on-axis
- a dipole is wired out-of-phase, so its sound field is all diffuse, and the speaker has no output on-axis whatsoever..

So that makes your choice.
- direct radiator if you have the space
- a bipole if space is tight
- a dipole if space is very tight (could be the same speaker as the bipole, but with a switch)

However, the one thing you must promise me is to move the couch off the wall. Even a foot or two would be a great improvement. There are no good seats near walls.

HAve fun,
Frank

 

[TomT99]

If you are smack against the rear speakers you WANT to have a dedicated surround speaker. I'm close to side and surrounds and use bipoles, I had monopoles before and I disliked them.

I'm not smack against them, they are about 3-4 feet to my left and right.

 

[fatbottom]

http://www.pooraudiophile.com/2015/03/reader-questions-which-is-better.html

Basically just following what Dolby recommend monopoles all-round. What works in theory does not work in practice.

There are reasons why people choose bipole/dipole/triple, to ignore that and say "monopoles are always best" is ignoring their room and seating layout.

These are so much less intrusive than monopole speakers

http://images4.static-bluray.com/htgallery/56733_full.jpg

 

[fatbottom]

http://www.pooraudiophile.com/2015/03/reader-questions-which-is-better.html

I'm not smack against them, they are about 3-4 feet to my left and right.

That is pretty much same as me, and for those distances I prefer bipoles.

 

[TomT99]

Here. Take one of these and call me in the morning...
http://www.audioholics.com/loudspeaker-design/surround-speaker-dipole-vs-bipole

It sounds like Klipsch is talking more from a mounting standpoint than an acoustic one! It's not the mount on the speaker, it's the speaker you mount that matters.

To me, it all depends on how far the speaker is from your listening positions. With enough space, a direct radiating speaker is fine, but as space becomes limited...

Bipole and Dipole are two ways to wire a pair of speakers designed to share one box. .
- A bipole is wired in-phase, so its sound field is diffuse, but still strong on-axis
- a dipole is wired out-of-phase, so its sound field is all diffuse, and the speaker has no output on-axis whatsoever..

So that makes your choice.
- direct radiator if you have the space
- a bipole if space is tight
- a dipole if space is very tight (could be the same speaker as the bipole, but with a switch)

However, the one thing you must promise me is to move the couch off the wall. Even a foot or two would be a great improvement. There are no good seats near walls.

HAve fun,
Frank

I will be about 3-4 feet from them. Here are the surrounds and bookshelfs I am considering: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsc...ack/6228085.p?id=1219198824428&skuId=6228085 http://www.bestbuy.com/site/klipsc...ack/6833016.p?id=1219239884619&skuId=6833016

 

[fatbottom]

I'd personally go for the R-14S. But you need to try them for yourself.

I don't know if the R-14S are bipole or dipole.

 

[TomT99]

I'd personally go for the R-14S. But you need to try them for yourself.

I don't know if the R-14S are bipole or dipole.

They don't have them on display anywhere

 

[fatbottom]

Do you have some speakers? Just wire two speakers up to one channel, put them back to back and that is basically a bipole speaker, try that and see if you like bipole effect, and alter the angle ie alter the angle of the two speakers like this

 

[dunan]

Good thing I saw this thread, I'm having the same issue - my couch is against the wall and am using some basic speakers for surrounds (old radio Shack Optimus that are in excellent condition) but am looking for something like a bipole or even a dipole maybe because I don't believe the 'surround' effect is that good. I've read the posts about moving the couch out a few feet but my place is small and even a few feet makes a big difference in room area. But if I just sit forward on the couch I hear a huge difference in the surrounds. They sound enveloping and no longer directional, how it should sound.

So, do I spring for dipoles/tripoles? Not sure what to do here, I really don't have much option to move the couch, though I wish I could.

 

[fatbottom]

Dipoles aren't recommend on the back wall. Try bipoles.

The only tripoles I am aware of are M&K

 

[dunan]

Where to get a decent set of bipoles? I usually look on Audiogon or Amazon, but don't do eBay, so are there other places to look?

 

[TomT99]

Dipoles aren't recommend on the back wall. Try bipoles.

The only tripoles I am aware of are M&K

What are the Klipsch surrounds that I posted a link to - dipole or bipole?