One rear speaker or two?

Z

Zig

Guest
Is there much difference to the rear sound stage between the two options? I am looking to have KEF Q1 fronts, a Q1 as centre the other speaker as the rear with the new Q2 dipoles as sides in a room 3.3 x 5.5
 
the current thx spec stipulates the 2 rears to be side by side, so effectively one speaker. hence one speaker is enough. There are however a number who disagree.

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Firstly I'm worried that this is going to turn into another Centre speaker yes or no - so I will offer no opinion on which is better.

Secondly - AFAIK THX Surround Ex uses two dipole Centre Rears, fed out of phase signals. This creates a null directly between them, so that sound comes from behind you on both sides, but not from directly behind. It's overly complicated and apparently pointless, but there are valid reasons for doing it this way.
Whether it's worth bothering with, is for the listener to decide.
 
I believe the THX spec actually calls for monopole (direct radiating) rear channel speakers.
 
Originally posted by CarlB
I believe the THX spec actually calls for monopole (direct radiating) rear channel speakers.

i think so too.......

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You may be right, my memory is a little hazy, but I think that the out of phase dipoles was the original specification. It's probably been revised by now.
 
Originally posted by EvilMudge
You may be right, my memory is a little hazy, but I think that the out of phase dipoles was the original specification. It's probably been revised by now.

if i revised as much as them i'd be a genius! :D

they change it almost by the week

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THX specs aside, if anyone has tried one speaker v's two I would like an opinion as to any noticable difference. The Denon 3802 set-up allows you to select either option and running just one would mean buying two pairs to go with the Q2DS's and using a Q1 as centre rather than the Q9C.
I am currently running the speaker wires in my new room, it will be some time before I can actually try the system but it would be nice to decide which option to go with.
Looking back through older posts about the Q1's I notice Uncle Eric advised using fronts, centre and sides all Q1's with the left over speaker used as a single rear, did anyone try this option?
 
Hi Zig,

I have a Denon 3801 and Ruark Vita 100 Satellites.

I think a lot depends on how much space you have directly behind your seating position. If you have 2-3 metres then I'd be tempted to go for two rear centres. However if like me you only have about half that distance then from my findings the single centre worked best.

I tried two Ruark satellites and one of the Ruark centres, the single speaker just sounded so much better.

HTH
 
Thanks Spikey
I will have about 1.5- 2 metres to the rears so fall into the great divide :(
I guess wiring for two speakers and trying both ways will be the best option.
Only thing now is to decide how close the wires should be together :rolleyes:
 
there was at one stage an enormous thread about this same topic.....if i find it i'll set the link

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