• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Surround Speakers - Bookshelves Vs Bipole "Surrounds"

Which Setup Would Be Best?

  • Bookshelves pointed at the MLP

    Votes: 2 66.7%
  • Bookshelves not pointed at the MLP (please explain)

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Bipole "surrounds"

    Votes: 1 33.3%
  • Something else (please explain)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    3

mj30250

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2021
Messages
409
Likes
791
I've attached an extremely crude and not-to-scale sketch of my finished basement setup. The ceiling is acoustic tile and about 8' high.

The setup is 5.2 and I have no plans to expand into Atmos. The couch is against the back wall, and due to various constraints of the room, the only place that I can mount the surround speakers is on this wall (see the green squares). Stand-mounting to the left and right of the MLP (as would be ideal) is not an option. I am attempting to determine what would be the lesser of two evils:

1) Bookshelf speakers mounted to the rear wall and pointed towards the MLP (or elsewhere?), using something along these lines: https://www.amazon.com/Mount-Universal-Clamping-Bookshelf-Mounting/dp/B01MZE0O8U/ref=sr_1_18?crid=1A8TC5N4VT2RB&keywords=speaker+wall+mount&qid=1654525493&sprefix=speaker+wall+mount,aps,102&sr=8-18

2) A bipole "surround" speaker, such as:

In theory I would think that option 1 would be the way to go for multichannel music listening, as more pinpoint imaging is typically preferred in music; although this is probably a less important feature of surround channels compared to the mains. It might also be the better fit for gaming for much the same reason. Option 2 might be preferable for HT, since these speakers will be carrying all of the surround channel information between them, a more diffuse and enveloping sound field would likely be the way to go.

So, what's likely to be the least compromised option for an already compromised situation, across all types of program material? I am open to other options as well, but please keep in mind that for a variety of reasons that aren't clear in the sketch, I am limited to rear-wall mounting.

Thanks!
 

Attachments

  • Basement Surrounds.png
    Basement Surrounds.png
    136.7 KB · Views: 105

bkdc

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 28, 2022
Messages
274
Likes
269
Extremely wide dispersion bookshelf
 
OP
M

mj30250

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2021
Messages
409
Likes
791
Extremely wide dispersion bookshelf

I currently have these in storage:

s2ex nfs_hcontour.jpg
s2ex nfs_eref.jpg

Fairly wide horizontally, but the tweeters narrow a lot vertically. I could easily flip them upside down to get the tweeters more in-line with ear height. Do you think this would work better than something like the Ultra Surrounds?
 

Spkrdctr

Major Contributor
Joined
Apr 22, 2021
Messages
2,203
Likes
2,921
I would use your speakers in storage. Put them wider than your drawing facing in towards the main seating area. It should sound pretty good. I find I have to run the center channel on most systems a little louder for dialog purposes. Plus I like a little extra bass, especially below 40hz. Which means I pump up the 20 to 30hz just a bit. Let us know how it sounds when your done. Always fun to hear the listening report!
 
Top Bottom