Best surrounds for my Spires?

[dmusoke]

Hi:

I've had my Spires for about 7 months and they sound really great. I later on got the Stage center channel last week and so far, though not fully broken in, sounds great as its timbre matches that of the Spires.

Now, i'm looking for surrounds whose timbre will match that of my fronts. ML only has the FX2 surround with a twiiter whose technology (na dmaybe timbre) is different from the Xstat used in my mains. Is this an ideal match or should i look somewhere else?

What are you guys using for surrounds in your timbre-matched(?) MCH systems? Where else should i look? I am also eyeing Sunfire's CRM2-BIP, a Bipole with one woofer but 2 ribbon at its sides.

I wonder which is better, one center woofer and 2 side tweeters or one tweeter with 2 side woofers as in the FX2 ?

- David

 

[projectormovielover]

If you have the money and room then nice big stats will fit the bill. I put my 2 matinee center ch speakers in storage after I bought Vista to mate with my stage. I now have my source speakers as surrounds and I just love it and doubt you would need anything more for rear effects. I am blown away by the timbre match of the source and for the price they go for these days it makes alot of sense to put them on your list. My matinee's are great too but I just don't have the room for them, but one thing that was awesome was the tweeters on the stage and matinee really went well together and if I used a sub it would have been better

 

[dmusoke]

If you have the money and room then nice big stats will fit the bill. I put my 2 matinee center ch speakers in storage after I bought Vista to mate with my stage. I now have my source speakers as surrounds and I just love it and doubt you would need anything more for rear effects. I am blown away by the timbre match of the source and for the price they go for these days it makes alot of sense to put them on your list. My matinee's are great too but I just don't have the room for them, but one thing that was awesome was the tweeters on the stage and matinee really went well together and if I used a sub it would have been better

Thanks PML ... I wish i had the room. In my case, my 1 bedroom apt. precludes using mains as surrounds.

 

[Peter Soderberg]

The FX and FX2 use a single woofer with two FMTs on the sides, not the reverse of of what is said. this is after lots of play time with traditional dipoles, bipole designs. this curved design provided a more seamless affect versus drivers that where in tangent to each other. A little dispersion hole happens when the drivers are at 90 degrees to each other, whereas the approximate 45 degree angle was less sensitive to where one sat in terms of axis. Main differences is bigger woofer, two larger FMTs on the FX2s.

 

[dmusoke]

The FX and FX2 use a single woofer with two FMTs on the sides, not the reverse of of what is said. this is after lots of play time with traditional dipoles, bipole designs. this curved design provided a more seamless affect versus drivers that where in tangent to each other. A little dispersion hole happens when the drivers are at 90 degrees to each other, whereas the approximate 45 degree angle was less sensitive to where one sat in terms of axis. Main differences is bigger woofer, two larger FMTs on the FX2s.

Thanks for the correction and info Peter . How does the timbre of the FMT(if used as surrounds) compare with that of the Xstats as mains?

 

[Bradh1]

Hi:

I've had my Spires for about 7 months and they sound really great. I later on got the Stage center channel last week and so far, though not fully broken in, sounds great as its timbre matches that of the Spires.

Now, i'm looking for surrounds whose timbre will match that of my fronts. ML only has the FX2 surround with a twiiter whose technology (na dmaybe timbre) is different from the Xstat used in my mains. Is this an ideal match or should i look somewhere else?

What are you guys using for surrounds in your timbre-matched(?) MCH systems? Where else should i look? I am also eyeing Sunfire's CRM2-BIP, a Bipole with one woofer but 2 ribbon at its sides.

I wonder which is better, one center woofer and 2 side tweeters or one tweeter with 2 side woofers as in the FX2 ?

- David

David

I have the FX2's for side and rear. I didnt have room for big stats, so this was the only option for me. I can tell you using Audyssey 32 with the FX2, they match the stage, and Montis (SL3's before) really well. They match pretty good without Audyssey, but using it really makes them blend together. I was a little worried about them matching, after hooking them up and listening to them, I couldnt be happier.

Brad

 

[dmusoke]

David

I have the FX2's for side and rear. I didnt have room for big stats, so this was the only option for me. I can tell you using Audyssey 32 with the FX2, they match the stage, and Montis (SL3's before) really well. They match pretty good without Audyssey, but using it really makes them blend together. I was a little worried about them matching, after hooking them up and listening to them, I couldnt be happier.

Brad

Thanks Brad ...what a relief indeed

 

[Peter Soderberg]

guess that answers it best, from an end user. Of course we do our best to blend disparate technologies for complete solutions for multi channel. We couldn't have matched very well with a dome tweeter in the surrounds and FMT does a wonderful job of having that detail and dynamic ease that panels can have. have fun.

 

[Ron]

I use the Motif's for surrounds with the Stage Center and CLX's front. They seem to work well as surrounds.

 

[dmusoke]

I was told by a dealer to get the EFX instead of the FX2's. Not only are the outside of my price range, i'm afraid i won't get the full diffuse soundfield of the FX2 bipolars.
If i'm playing movie, i'd prefer bipoles i believe. But if i'm playing high quality MCH music, i haven't got a clue as to which would be better, dipoles or monopoles like the EFX though i suspect the latter is most accurate. I would also be fighting sweet spot problems with the surrounds if i get the EFX, no? ... What do y'all think?

 

[Peter Soderberg]

it is for that reason that the FX and FX2 are built in the way they are. Think of the them as a very large sounding point source with the woofer providing more localization for multi channel music but the tweeters off axis to throw a big airy dispersion pattern for surround effects. the nice thing abt being late to the surround channel party is that we can listen to lots of different designs before moving onward. The EFX are an absolute best, but does place more demands on ideal mouting scenarios. Without walking the room, FX/FX2 are very flexible designs.

 

[babydoc]

I use the EFX's with my surround system (#308) which has CLX fronts, Stage center,and Descent-i subs. They replaced the Script-is. You might look for a used pair (although they are pretty new). They would be an excellent match for the Spires. An alternative would be finding the Script-is on the used market.

 

[dmusoke]

Thanks Peter & Baby doc.... seem's i will get the FX2's as i play movies far more than MCH music.