Need help deciding on back surrounds

Marbles · « **on:** 8 Jan 2004, 02:28 am »

Front R/L are RM40's, center will be an RM30C with the end caps and the FST turned 90* so it can be used in a horizontal position on my RPTV.

The side surrounds will be 626R's

What should I use for the rear surrounds? They need to hang from the ceiling because of a built in bar (go figure

) at the back of the HT room.

I have considered 626's, LRC's, and RM30's like the center channel.

Thanks for any help.

lkosova · « **Reply #1 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 02:33 am »

626 with that setup. That should rock!!

Larry

Marbles · « **Reply #2 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 02:39 am »

Quote from: lkosova

626 with that setup. That should rock!!

Larry

If I have to have them in a horizontal position do you still feel that way?

Thanks, I hope it does rock..I ordered the RM30 a week ago.

Now it's just seeing how the surrounds come together.

lkosova · « **Reply #3 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 02:49 am »

I think you will be ok if the sides and the rears are in the same position and height. (if both are vertical or horizontal). Even if your center channel is horizontal keep the front three at the same height...if you can so the tweats are on the same plane.

I am bringing my plans to CES to get some suggestions also. This speaker line is like no other...lots of varibles but all good ones. HMMM....maybe I can get the Screen research people to give my one of their samples to run over the Brians room and put it infront of the speaker to test out...Hmmm.....(acoustically neutral screen).

I also like the center rm 30 IF the tweat was in the center not on the side.

Larry

Marbles · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 03:12 am »

I wish I could, but the center is up pretty high and will be angled down.

The side surrounds should be about a foot above my head, but the back surrounds will be up by the ceiling and will be angled down. Not much choice the way the room is laid out. I might be able to hang the 626's in a verticle way, the easist would be to hang whatever speaker in a horizontal way though. That's why I'm having some problems deciding.

lkosova · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 03:42 am »

Hmmmm I see your point . Has anyone used the lrc's as surrounds????

All in all I think they will still work for you. I think we had this disscusion and what surround matched the RM-40's and I think Roop said the lrc's did a great job at this as surrounds.

Well, I need to start packing and call a cab for the am. I will post how the RM-30 package sounds etc....

If anyone want me to check out anything...let me know.

Larry

Marbles · « **Reply #6 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 03:47 am »

Have a great time!!! I am envious.

John Casler · « **Reply #7 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 03:55 am »

Quote from: Marbles

The side surrounds should be about a foot above my head, but the back surrounds will be up by the ceiling and will be angled down. Not much choice the way the room is laid out. I might be able to hang the 626's in a verticle way, the easist would be to hang whatever speaker in a horizontal way though. That's why I'm having some problems deciding.

Hi Marbles,

If the sides are above your head, they too should be angled down, or else you'll be out of the "beam". I might also mention that contrary to many HT designers, the VMPS side surrounds should not be to far "behind" the listener, like more high dispersion speakers.

This is especially true if you are interested in Multi-Channel music at all.

And for the rears, the LRC or 626R is probably your best bet if it needs to be horrizontal, as long as you can angle it toward the listening position.

The LRC offering deeper bass, front port, and greater horizontal dispersion due to its neopanel orientation.

Marbles · « **Reply #8 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 03:59 am »

Quote from: John Casler

Hi Marbles,

If the sides are above your head, they too should be angled down, or else you'll be out of the "beam". I might also mention that contrary to many HT designers, the VMPS side surrounds should not be to far "behind" the listener, like more high dispersion speakers.

This is especially true if you are interested in Multi-Channel music at all.

And for the rears, the LRC or 626R is probably your best bet if it needs to be horrizontal, as long as you can angle it toward the listening position ...

Thanks John, I should be able to angle all 4 surround speakers to the main listening position.

pjchappy · « **Reply #9 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 04:14 am »

What about that dipole surround from VMPS I saw pictures of a few weeks ago?

p

bubba966 · « **Reply #10 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 07:02 am »

Quote from: pjchappy

What about that dipole surround from VMPS I saw pictures of a few weeks ago?

p

That's just what I was going to suggest....

Marbles · « **Reply #11 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 02:44 pm »

I saw that, but I want direct radiaters.

Mostly I watch concert videos, sometimes they will be used for DVD-A's and other times family movies.

Marbles · « **Reply #12 on:** 8 Jan 2004, 09:28 pm »

OK, I just bought Ric Shultz's 626's as my side surrounds.

So it is rm40's for fronts, RM30C for center and 626's for sides.

I think I'm leaning towards the LRC's for rears.

ted_b · « **Reply #13 on:** 9 Jan 2004, 04:53 am »

Marbles,
Your HT setup is EXACTLY what I'm going to do, as well (edit: well, not exactly, I'm thinking 626r's sides AND rears). I have a post almost a year ago on Harmonic, asking about the "new" RM40's and how they might work with an LRC center and 626r sides. Once the RM30C was invented it seemed the natural center.

Currently, and for the past 15 years, I've had SuperTowerII A/R SE's as my mains, and a stock 626 as the center, with the past few years the Alon Centris bipoles for sides and rears. The Alon's were ok when the HT was mostly used for movies. The further I get into multichannel music, the worse the bipoles do (let alone the timbre-matching probelms, et al). I am convinced that swapping the Alon's for 626r's for the sides (about a foot in front of my main sofa listening position and up about two feet above ear level, pointed down) and for the rears (on the coffered portion of my sloping ceiling, about five feet behind me, about 30 degrees off axis each, pointed down at the listening area) will sound great!!. My sides will need to stay vertical probably, and the rears can be either.

Let us know how they sound. I need to sell my SuperTower beasts to someone local and then pull the big trigger (John, really, I will)
Ted_B

Marbles · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 01:40 pm »

I received my 626's (FST and new coils from BC's RM30 project) yesterday.

I hooked one 626 up as a center channel to match with the RM40's.

As has been discussed, the amount of volume coming from just the one midrange panel of the 626 was slightly lacking compared to the 40's. The 626 was set .5 db hot per my analog RS SPL meter.

The tone was a very good match though. I'm certain that the 3 panels of the RM30 will match up very well as a center to the 40's.

I'm also certain that the 626's will be great rear speakers, and they would make great side surrounds if you have the room.

I have the room on one side, and it will be determined if I have the room on the other side of the room. If I can make them fit in a proper position, my system will be:

RM40's for fronts, RM30 for center (should have that soon), 626 (fst) for side and rear surrounds.

Side notes:The 626 center was lying horizontaly and not upright like it was built to be. I walked around the room and off axis listening was pretty good. Better than I expected.

The side surrounds will have the 626's vertically, but my rear 626's will be horizontal and hanging from the ceiling.

Does anyone have a good way to hang the 626's in a horizontal way from the ceiling?

Thanks

zybar · « **Reply #15 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 02:11 pm »

Marbles,

Did you think things were significantly better than not having a center?

I have been running my HT without a center and to be honest things sound darn good (as Horsehead predicted). I am not finding myself straining to hear dialogue or any lack of focus or clarity. I have tried sitting in the side seats and still think it is good.

Also, did the 626's have the stuffing changed to wool?

GW

Marbles · « **Reply #16 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 02:21 pm »

Quote from: zybar

Marbles,

Did you think things were significantly better than not having a center?

I have been running my HT without a center and to be honest things sound darn good (as Horsehead predicted). I am not finding myself straining to hear dialogue or any lack of focus or clarity. I have tried sitting in the side seats and still think it is good.

Also, did the 626's have the stuffing changed to wool?

GW

I haven't tried a phantom center because I occaisionally like to listen to DVD-A's. The center fill is very good even off center in two channel, so if you don't listen to MC DVD-A, or MC SACD then you probably don't need one.

I also have a sofa that sits on the side of the room so the whole family can watch movies together and thought it would be better to have a center for those who sit WAY off axis.

Ric forgot to change the stuffing. He has mailed some to me and it should arrive today.

What are your thoughts on the wool insulation?

jgubman · « **Reply #17 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 06:09 pm »

Marbles,

check out this post for some clever mounting ideas for the 626r:

http://www.harmonicdiscord.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10470&highlight=bracket+626r

Marbles · « **Reply #18 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 06:29 pm »

Quote from: jgubman

Marbles,

check out this post for some clever mounting ideas for the 626r:

http://www.harmonicdiscord.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10470&highlight=bracket+626r

Thanks, that helps some. I already have the B-techs for my side surrounds.

Those AV (TV) brackets look interesting, but I'm hoping for a little nicer looking if possible. Also those omni mount brackets look nice but it looks like you have to drill holes and I'm trying to avoid that.

jgubman · « **Reply #19 on:** 24 Feb 2004, 06:47 pm »

Yeah, I think the TV mounts look like the best solution (sturdy, no worries about load support, no holes to drill, tilt-adjustment), but the ugliest. Maybe they wouldn't be too bad if you covered them w/ some fabric?