Monopole directed surrounds OR dipoles?

[greywolf]

Getting 170s for front L&R, 340c for center, and a SVS SB-10 subwoofer. Trying to decide on the surrounds. I don't really want rears (going to go 5.1 instead of 7.1).

The room is a rectangle, 13.5 feet from the back to front wall (where the TV is) and 18 feet wide. 7 foot ceilings. Our couch will be about 1 foot off the rear wall.

We listen mostly to TV and DVD, but throw the occasional music CD in.

I've been seriously considering getting some Axiom QS-8s to place on the side walls at about 1-2 feet above ear level, 1 foot below ceiling level, and directly in line with our couch. I read that this is really the preferred setup for movie surround as this is how the soundtrack is mixed in the studio for theaters.

Any advice or corrections to this assumption would be appreciated.

[curtis]

If you do a search, somewhere on here, someone did a comparison on dipoles vs direct before making the purchase.

Here is what I posted on your thread at AVS:

The Axiom QS-8's are great for what they were designed to do. The HTM-200 are also great for what they were designed to do.

The debate on direct radiating vs. bi/di/multipole is ongoing and really boils down to taste

I suggest you try to demo each.

I am an Ascend owner....and will add this one comment/fact:
The engineers that that did the sound mix for the movie or music used direct radiating speakers, not di/bi/or multipoles.

[Mag_Neato]

Curtis is correct.....it is a matter of personal preference.

I read somewhere that the sound mixers(Engineers) use multi/bi/di-poles, but what do I know!

I have QS-8's with my 170's, and they sound fantastic! Much better for movies than my old direct-radiating two-ways they replaced. I don't do much MC music so I cannot comment there. YMMV.

[greywolf]

Thanks, guys. I think it might come down to WAF as well as just the setup of my room. I don't have much room behind my sofa, and I have cats that love to leap on things (like speakers on speaker stands). It just seems like the QS-8s may work better for many reasons. But I suppose I need more research on just how well it would be for surround.

[BGHD]

Why not just matching LCR Axioms then?

[kgveteran]

You may want to look to the Paradigm ADP-150's.Tweeters are 3/4" and the woofers are 5 1/4".That is what I use ans plan to use if I get three340's.

I payed 150.00 used for a pair on Audiogon.Dipoles are the way to go.