Motif Center Speaker Was Sick

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Ive got some old Definitive bookshelf speakers that are dipole that I used for rear surrounds. It seems like dipoles were really big years ago but now you dont see it so much.
 
Uhm, because that's an oxymoron. A dipole is a speaker that radiates from both front and rear, and a sealed speaker, well doesn't, it just radiates out the front.

Sealed ESLs sound just fine, the Janszen line is sealed, as is the C18 and the ESL C centers from MartinLogan.

I know what a dipole is. I just imagined my 11a's sealed up on backside not sounding good. Looking at the ESL C it might be technically a sealed cabinet, but they have 2 large spongy grey blobs tight behind the e-panel which I assume all but nukes sound that direction.
 
Ive got some old Definitive bookshelf speakers that are dipole that I used for rear surrounds. It seems like dipoles were really big years ago but now you dont see it so much.
The DT towers and bookshelves are bipolar (vs dipolar), and the rear-mounted tweeter is IN-phase with the front tweeter.

So while they spray sound towards the surfaces behind the speaker, the signal is in-phase, so slightly less comb-filtering than if out of phase (which is by definition, what a dipole has). But this 'extra' ambiance delayed, reflected sound that can do more harm than help depending on room layout and acoustics. For 2ch, in a perfectly symmetrical setup it does result in the perception of a wider soundstage (as sounds are reflecting off the sidewalls after having bounced off the front wall), but actually leads to the same small sweet-spot issue many note with dipole speakers.

The drop-off in dipole / bipole interest is likely due to more people running mixed A/V systems, and for accurate surround (music or movies), monopoles just work better.
 
I just imagined my 11a's sealed up on backside not sounding good
I've sealed my SL3XC center, and it sounds much cleaner without all the comb-filtering.
The trick is figuring out the layering of absorptive materials and the minimum spacing to the panel to reduce any chamber resonances.

Janszen manages to sell their sealed ESLs, and owners rave about them. They do sound different than an ML, but mostly due to radiation pattern / room acoustics differences.
 
Well, they did design a sealed lineup, but do not seem to have gotten around to releasing it (yet) ;) . MartinLogan announces breakthrough Monoray ESL line

For multichannel setups, sealed speakers are the best option.
I'm converting all of mine to monopole as soon as I have some time, or if ML actually sold the Monoray, I'd load up on seven of those.
Again with the Monoray?!
 
Again with the Monoray?!
I referenced it as it is an example, but the main reason is the 'brochure' explains why one would do sealed ESL.

Just be thankful I'm too busy this week to write up the 'new' models in the Monoray line. They are very cool, maybe for 4/1/23 ... ;)
 
The C18 arrived today!
Yes, it's a bit much for me to move around, but doable. More awkward than anything else.
It ain't goin' above the tv!

On the table doesn't work for me, it's just a little too high, about 1/4" above the bottom edge of the tv. So I'm not willing to work around this. So it's the wall, or the petrified tree stump. I'll try the stump first, it's easy.
 
My Motif was sicker than I thought. The new C18 is so much better!
I'm starting a new thread to follow the initial setup and thoughts about the C18 Focus Center speaker. It'll be called "My New C18 Focus Center Speaker!", and will be be posted later tonight.

The stat panel on the Motif is weak. I thought there was something up with the crossover, or woofers, but the panel measured low and cleaning wasn't the issue. I think it's just tired.

Even with a dedicated subwoofer with active crossover set at almost 180Hz, the performance just is very poor compared to the new C18. I didn't know what I was missing. So the C18 is a keeper!
 
My Motif was sicker than I thought. The new C18 is so much better!
I'm starting a new thread to follow the initial setup and thoughts about the C18 Focus Center speaker. It'll be called "My New C18 Focus Center Speaker!", and will be be posted later tonight.

The stat panel on the Motif is weak. I thought there was something up with the crossover, or woofers, but the panel measured low and cleaning wasn't the issue. I think it's just tired.

Even with a dedicated subwoofer with active crossover set at almost 180Hz, the performance just is very poor compared to the new C18. I didn't know what I was missing. So the C18 is a keeper!
I had a theater i that was the same way. I thought about replacing the panel on it, but I dont think they even make those like they do for the floor standing speakers. I sold it used. It still sounded good, but next to the new Focus it pales.
 

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