Chris,
I saw on the AVS forum that Audyssey doesn't recommend using Bipole speakers for Heights...yet Atlantic Technology designed a THX rated Bipole speaker just for Heights.
What are your thoughts?
Logically since Heights are largely matrixed from existing material and intended to generate an upper level of ambiance to the soundstage, that bipoles would be a perfect fit.
I can't speak for other companies. I can definitely say that if you want to use Audyssey DSX then you should use a direct radiator for Heights and Wides and a Dipole (not Bipole) for Surrounds.
Do you have anything backing up the science behind that stance?
Bipoles radiate in a diffuse, 180-degree soundfield, essentially radiating and filling the area they are pointed at with sound from the height channels.
I would almost think that a direct radiator would cause the heights to become a pinpointed effects speaker, instead of an "ambiance" speaker.
Wides should match your L, C, &R speakers, rear surrounds should be monopoles or direct radiators. Side surrounds are fine as Dipoles, I'd argue rear surrounds should either be Bipoles or direct radiators only.
Hi Andy, yes we do--a lot of this early research was done in my university research lab at USC. The Heights and Wides in Audyssey DSX are not surround (ambient) speakers. They actually play direct and reflected content that must appear to come from that direction exactly in order to work as intended. Perhaps other methods with Heights have different concepts of mostly ambient sound, but this is not the case for DSX.
3 Comments