Rears in 7.1

[Raybart]

I just bought the RF35s, RC35, RS35s, and RW 12. Using the Onkyo TX-SR702 and wondering the best rears to get my 7.1.

I want the best sound not too concerned with the clean look of in-wall/ceiling.

I have a dedicated ht room that is 20' long x 12' wide. Viewing positions are at 11.5' (position 1) and 17' (position 2). The RS35s are placed at the 15' mark between the 2 positions 5' up and sub is behind position 2. Are these the right spots? I use the speakers for 95% movies and 5% concert DVDs.

Should I add another pair of RS35s on the back wall (3 feet behind position 2) or would the RB35s/25s be better? How about RCW 5s? How are in-walls as rears?

Any suggestions. I noticed that the different choices all have different frequency cross overs. My budget is only another $400 so I can't get any floor standing.

Help!!! New to the ht thing and almost out of cash!!

[Guest BobG]

I would suggest putting the sub on the front wall if possible as it will blend more seamlessly regardless of what is said about inability to localize if the sub crossover is low enough and that your receiver can align teh arrival of the sub and mains output at the listening position.

If you use monopole speakers for rear center, such as RB-25/35, they will reveal their location to people sitting in position 2. Probably not a problem for position 1 listening so you have to decide what your preferred position is and how much you care about other listening positions. The beauty of the RS WDST design is that is has some localization (more than di and bi-poles) but not as much as standard speakers like the RBs.

[Raybart]

What about the RCW-5 in wall? Would that be a better choice than the RB25s behind me. Position 2 at 17' is the best spot to watch a movie from and where we sit most of the time.

So we have the RF35s in front, the RS35s, to the side and slightly in front of us (since I have 2 listening positions). I have 2.5 feet behind me where I was also going to put the RW12 or the RW12 can go in the front next to the RF35s .

The question is do I mount RB25s or install RCW5s? Or is another set of RS35s the best way to go to achieve the best sounding 7.1?

Help!!!

Anyone..

[IndyKlipschFan]

Another set of RS35s the best way to go to achieve the best sounding 7.1?

Why? one word.. Timbre...

My suggestion is use the RS35 since you do not have alot of room behind you.. This will give you a seamless enveloping sound experience..

Bobs advice from Klipsch is right.... So get that SUB up in front someplace in the middle first, if that is not enough.... in a corner up front. ,,,,,

[Raybart]

Thanks Indy. But I'm confused, wouldn't I want a more directional sound in the rear?

Are the RCW5s not a good choice. I thought all reference speakers were made to match.

Sorry my newbie-ness is coming through

[MrMcGoo]

Raybart,

The sound that you want in back depends on your primary choice of material. Movies would benefit from RS-35s in all 4 positions in back. If multi-channel music is your highest priority, then your side surrounds should be RB-35s or 25s with RS-35s in back. The RBs are direct radiators and are preferred for music while the RSs are preferred for movies by many folks.

BobG's recommendation to put your sub up front is a good one, if you can put it either in a front corner or along a front wall. If the phase switch is in the correct position and distance is right, then the blend with the front speakers can be seamless.

Bill

[Raybart]

Bill I left you a PM. This must be a tough one to answer since I even get 2 different answers from the Klipsch techs.

Directional or non-directional for the 6.1 and 7.1 channels. RBs25 or RCW5 which I already own or go spend even more money on another pair of RS35s. I was planning on a pair of speakers for my den either the RB25s or RCW 5s depending on which ones I don't use in the above 7.1. If I buy another pair of RS35s, I'll have an extra pair of RCW5s or RB25s with a bigger whole in the pocket book.

Currently have RF35s, RC35, RS35s, RW12 with an Onkyo 7.1 receiver.

[Hunt]

Raybart, I remodeled our HT room last year, and have finally upgraded to the point where I am happy for the moment. I went through a lot of anxiety because I used the RCW-5's for my 2 rear centers for 7.1(not knowing how they would sound until I bought and installed them). These are coupled with the RS-7s for sides, and RF-7's up front. Calibrated properly, I am very pleased with the performance of the in-walls. They are much better than I expected, and sound great to me. I would not do it differently if I had it to do over again. Then again, this is a family room coverted to HT room/ computer room, and I wanted to keep all the "big gear" at one end if I could. Our room is about 12' x 24', and I think you would probably experience similar results. Movies are my priority, but I also think they sound good when I listen to music in the multichannel mode/7 channel stereo. I might even consider doing in-walls for my side surrounds if I knew how good they sounded when I was deciding which speakers to go with. I went through a progression of RB-35's, RF-5's to RF-7's up front, so I know how bigger can sound better in the klipsch line. I listened to all the bookshelves except the RB-75's. Other than going with RF-7's all the way around ( I wish I had such space to do so!) I can at least say the RCW-5's do a good job if you need to make some WAF concessions (which is why I used the in-walls in the first place). Good luck and have fun.

[Raybart]

Thanks Hunt. Anything special on the install? I heard the RCW5s are tricky to ensure no rattling.

[Hunt]

I cheated and had my contractor install both my RS-7's and the in-walls. I don't think he did anything special on the installs of the in-walls, other than to follow the basic instructions. I don't have any rattle, but the cut-out in the drywall is so tight, that my grill fits a little too tight. Getting them pressed in all the way flush with the wall was a little tricky, without bending them or chipping off the paint. However, I guess it's better to have them tight then to have them a rattl'n. I just leave those grills on all the time and don't mess with them.

[Frzninvt]

One set of sound sprayers in the back is more than enough!!

I would but some RB's back there if you cant swing anything bigger like an RF floorstander. Having bigger speakers in the rear WILL make a noticeable difference.

Having nothing but trebley echoes coming from the back is NOT a good thing.

[sfogg]

"But I'm confused, wouldn't I want a more directional sound in the rear?"

You will still get that with the RS surrounds. Remember you also want

good coverage (full bandwidth) to your various seating positions.

Take any surround speaker that has a direct firing woofer coupled to

either a horn loaded mid or horn tweeter and the dispersion

characteristics of the speaker is going to change dramatically as

frequency rises. At the low end the speaker is basically omni-direction

then it will narrow. Depending upon the size of the woofer and how high

up in frequency it goes the woofer might beam or it might still be

pretty wide dispersion. For the smaller bookself woofers the woofers in

them will still have wide dispersion around their 2kHzish crossovers.

The disperstion of the horn tweeter will be considerably narrower as

the dispersion is controlled by the horn in this speaker.

When considering multiple seats you could easily get into the situation

where the dispersion of a woofer in one of the surrounds has enough

coverage for all seats but that the tweeter does not because of the

horn. That isn't optimal and will not give good surround effect to

multiple seats.

That is the point of the RS series surrounds. The two horns give a

dispersion pattern, in the horizontal range anyway, that closer matches

what the woofer in those speakers is doing. You will get more even

coverage to a wider range of seats. The horns are driven in phase so

they don't have a null like what occurs in di-polar designs so you

still get good localization.

Shawn

[ygmn]

Well written Shawn....

Klipsch should read this to better sell the RS speakers...

Tis the reason I have them in my system...since seats are all over...and speakers are in less then optimum positions...the RS WDST design makes up for my architectural flaws...