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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 1 Registered: Jun-05 | Newbie here on this forum. Any recommendations on inexpensive dipoles I can place on stands, and that can/might come close to voice matching my Bose Acoustimass 15 speakers? (Yes, I know Bose isn't "all that"; got them 6 years ago. Decent price for a decent 5.1 speaker system at the time.) I'm upgrading from a 5.1 to a 7.1 system. My current Acoustimass surround speakers (on rear wall) will stay there and become the rear surround speakers. The dipoles will be placed on stands (I'm lacking one side wall on which to mount) and will serve as the surrounds. Will connect the dipoles straight to the Denon reciever. Acoustimass REALLY sucks; it can' t be upgraded!!! Don't want to spend alot of money on the dipoles, because I plan to completely do away with the Bose system some time in the future, with the best quality 7.1 speaker system I can get for $1500-$2000. And I know very good quality dipoles prob won't be a close match for the Bose speakers. However, if none are going to come close to voice matching the Acoustimass speakers, I MIGHT be willing to spend the money on dipoles that go with my future 7.1 speaker system, whatever that might be. Any suggestions/ideas on stand-compatible dipoles (either inexpensive or ones that can go with a future 7.1 system)? What's a recommended 7.1 speaker system that's great for ~$1500-$2000? Another question: My surrounds (which will become rear surrounds in the future 7.1 system) are 2-3 feet above ear level. Are there any stands that go that high? If not, will it affect seamless surround sound? |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-05 | Hmmmm. Think I found the answer to the 7.1 speaker question on the "Paradigm, Aperion, Ascend or ????" thread. Or at least that narrows it down. But not sure they meet the dipole requirement. Will keep reading the thread. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4107 Registered: May-04 | Why the insistence on having dipoles? |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 3 Registered: Jun-05 | I've read in many articles that dipoles are best for surrounds. Is this not entirely accurate? |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 816 Registered: Feb-05 | Personally I would never buy dipoles for any purpose. Just not versatile enough. If you listen to multichannel music like SACD or DVD-A they are definately not the way to go. Some folks prefer them for HT but I do not. |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 4 Registered: Jun-05 | Was going to take advantage of the Denon 3805's ability to switch between two sets of surrounds, and use direct radiating for SACD/DVD-A. |
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Silver Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 820 Registered: Feb-05 | Ahhh! |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4117 Registered: May-04 | Really? The 3805 lets you switch between two pair of surround speakers? Jeez, what feature will they come up with next? (BTW, did I miss the fact that you'll only have one pair of speakers to switch between?) I have to disagree Art regarding dipoles as some of my favorite speakers are dipoles or bipoles. None the less, you seem to be presenting a situation where I can only say, "Huh!" If I have this straight, you want to match your Bose system with speakers that you know won't match Bose quality(?) and you've chosen dipoles as the side surrounds even though you don't have one side wall to mount them to. After you have assembled the new system you will have side surrounds which will be dipole (?) for video, one set of direct radiating side surrounds for SACD and another set of rear surrounds for 7.1. Is that right? How big is this room? Do you even have a SACD/DVD-A player? Do you even have the Denon 3805? If this is correct, why not save your money until you can buy the better quality receiver and start building a system that works together? You appear to want to patch together something that won't wotk well together and that you might end up replacing. That makes no sense to me. Tell me where I've got this wrong. |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 5 Registered: Jun-05 | Yes, I have the Denon 3805. It lets you switch between two pair of surrounds, so you can choose the pair that's best for the material to which you're listening (ie, one set for movies, another set for multi-channel music). I also have a DVD-A player. So the only thing I don't have are a new set of speakers. Basically, I don't want to drop $2000 on a new 7.1 speaker set right now. But I want an interim solution so I can enjoy 7.1 surround sound (albeit, not audiophile perfect). So the only things I'm patching together -- temporarily -- are the two dipoles and the current Bose speakers. That's why I'm open to getting dipoles that would be part of the future 7.1 speaker system (not so great example: if I conclude that Paradigms are in my future, I can get ADP-170 dipoles, and eventually get Paradigm Phantoms, CC-170 center, etc.). Yes, I plan to make full use of the Denon 3805, and along with the 7.1 speakers, get a set of direct radiating surrounds for multi-channel music. The room is pretty big. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4124 Registered: May-04 | I guess I would determine what speakers I wanted for the front set before proceeding to the rears. Your last question in the original post shows concern for "seamless surround". You get that by having timbre matched speakers. Picking the rear surrounds and then the fronts once again seems to be a "HUH?"! Am I still getting this wrong? |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 6 Registered: Jun-05 | Yes, that's why gave the Paradigm example. I'm open to getting dipoles that will be part of (matched) to what ever speakers I get in the future. In terms of the last question, I mean seamless in terms of having rear surrounds a couple/few feet higher than the side surrounds. I'm wondering if height difference between rear and side surrounds has any degrading effect on surround sound. |
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Gold Member Username: Jan_b_vigneDallas, TX Post Number: 4128 Registered: May-04 | Generally, no. If the speakers are poorly matched or poorly made, there may be some discontiuity. The rear surrounds are matrixed from the side surround signals and will have an easier job blending than any other set of speakers in the 7.1 set up. |
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Silver Member Username: KanoPost Number: 515 Registered: Oct-04 | I own Polk surrounds and am continually impressed by their ability. I wouldn't put them up against a large bookshelf for music, but they perform quite well for both home theatre and music. The bipole/dipole switch is a great feature on the Polks. http://www.polkaudio.com/home/products.php?category=6&speaker=354 or even better... http://www.polkaudio.com/home/products.php?category=25&speaker=163 with http://www.polkaudio.com/home/products.php?category=25&speaker=161 |
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New member Username: Shutter30US Post Number: 7 Registered: Jun-05 | Hmmm. Thanks for the info. Will check out those Polks. |
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Bronze Member Username: PbdrPost Number: 30 Registered: Apr-05 | Ithink you may want to just go ahead and get the new speakers. It just too mvh aof a hssle to get "interim" speakers, which may or may not sound good witht he existing system and then replace the oher speakers with new ones that may or may not sound good with the surrounds. Look into the mirage omni sats, they are good quality, small, unobtrusive speakers that can be had in a 5.1 package for $1400 (sub included), you can then pick up an extra pair (or maybe a larger set of omni fronts) to complete the 7.1 package. |