polk bipole speaker direction - Blu-ray Forum

DonRSD · 07-01-2009, 02:06 AM

i have a pair of polk fxi3's

i run these speakers on the rear wall in BIPOLE MODE (5.1)

according to the polk manual. when the left & right speaker are positioned as left & right.....the 5.25" woofer fires OUTWARD

should i switch left to be right & right to be left and have the 5.25" driver point INWARD?

Hammie · 07-01-2009, 03:20 AM

I have mine installed as Polk recommends and have had no issues with sound or imaging.

They just sound awesome!

I guess if you want to try them both ways, you can see how they sound.

DonRSD · 07-01-2009, 11:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louhamilton

I have mine installed as Polk recommends and have had no issues with sound or imaging.

They just sound awesome!

I guess if you want to try them both ways, you can see how they sound.

the speakers SOUND AWESOME

thanks for the recommendation when i asked you about them

well you know.....as it is now the 5.25 drivers face AWAY from the center listening position, thus only leaving a tweeter angling inwards.

they sound FANTASTIC though, so i dont know if its worth it to swap them.

has anyone else experimented with swapping left speaker for right speaker to have the 5.25" driver face INWARDS?

DonRSD · 07-03-2009, 02:29 AM

any help???

Fors* · 07-03-2009, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

any help???

I'm curious to this question also....(lil' bump buddy

)

DonRSD · 07-05-2009, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

i have a pair of polk fxi3's

i run these speakers on the rear wall in BIPOLE MODE (5.1)

according to the polk manual. when the left & right speaker are positioned as left & right.....the 5.25" woofer fires OUTWARD

should i switch left to be right & right to be left and have the 5.25" driver point INWARD?

any help!?!?

Big Daddy · 07-05-2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

i have a pair of polk fxi3's

i run these speakers on the rear wall in BIPOLE MODE (5.1)

according to the polk manual. when the left & right speaker are positioned as left & right.....the 5.25" woofer fires OUTWARD

should i switch left to be right & right to be left and have the 5.25" driver point INWARD?

There is no correct way. It is a matter of choice. Do it both ways and choose the option you prefer. Their performance depends on the room acoustics and personal pereference. You may like it one way in your room and I may like diferently in my room. Ultimately, the rear surrounds do not make that much of a difference.

You have a more serious problem with Definitive Technology Super Tower front speakers and their built-in subwoofers. You can position them so that the subwoofers are facing each other or you can position them with the built-in subwoofers facing outward. In their manual, Def Tech talks about the different sound that you may hear, but leave it up to the customer. I have my speakers facing inward. In the case of subwoofers, the interaction with the room boundaries is more of a serious problem.

DonRSD · 07-05-2009, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

There is no correct way. It is a matter of choice. Do it both ways and choose the option you prefer. Their performance depends on the room acoustics and personal pereference. You may like it one way in your room and I may like diferently in my room. Ultimately, the rear surrounds do not make that much of a difference.

You have a more serious problem with Definitive Technology Super Tower front speakers and their built-in subwoofers. You can position them so that the subwoofers are facing each other or you can position them with the built-in subwoofers facing outward. In their manual, Def Tech talks about the different sound that you may hear, but leave it up to the customer. I have my speakers facing inward. In the case of subwoofers, the interaction with the room boundaries is more of a serious problem.

the all knowing oracle has spoken!!!
do you have the manual or a quote from the def tech speakers and the 'different sound you may hear'?

talstarone · 07-05-2009, 04:01 PM

There are so many types of Bipoles,Dipoles,and hybrid bipoles;I dont think there could honestly be a Bad way to aim them.

I can see why the Polks want the woofer facing out,that way the bass can reflect off the wall and back into the listening area.And they all have tweeters pointed towards the outer wall for reflection purposes as well.

I dont know too much about the placement of these speakers.But I do know I like their performance considerably.
And Don,arent yourPolks also capable of being dipoles as well(with the flip of a switch)?

DonRSD · 07-05-2009, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by talstarone

There are so many types of Bipoles,Dipoles,and hybrid bipoles;I dont think there could honestly be a Bad way to aim them.

I can see why the Polks want the woofer facing out,that way the bass can reflect off the wall and back into the listening area.And they all have tweeters pointed towards the outer wall for reflection purposes as well.

I dont know too much about the placement of these speakers.But I do know I like their performance considerably.
And Don,arent yourPolks also capable of being dipoles as well(with the flip of a switch)?

yes, there is a switch right next to where the speaker wire inputs are. dipole or bipole

Big Daddy · 07-06-2009, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

the all knowing oracle has spoken!!!
do you have the manual or a quote from the def tech speakers and the 'different sound you may hear'?

This is from Def Tech manual:

Quote:

The speakers are mirror imaged with the side mounted subwoofers located so they may be set up with both subwoofers facing in (toward each other) or both subwoofers facing out (away from each other). Facing the subwoofers in or out will vary the sound somewhat and which way is best will vary with your room. Generally, we suggest facing the subwoofers in, unless the speakers are placed very close to, or up against a large object (e.g., a big projection TV) near the inside face. Again, experiment to determine the best location for the speakers.

DonRSD · 07-06-2009, 12:58 AM

thanks for the response big daddy.
im gooing to change around the bipoles tomorrow and have my woofer facing INWARDS

i only asked this question because my surround right speaker doesnt 'reflect' off the wall. it goes into the stairway

Fors* · 07-06-2009, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

thanks for the response big daddy.
im gooing to change around the bipoles tomorrow and have my woofer facing INWARDS

i only asked this question because my surround right speaker doesnt 'reflect' off the wall. it goes into the stairway

I will have the same issue with my Klipsch S3's when my left one will as well not reflect because of a stairwell Don...I would like to know the outcome of your "manuevering"....

Hammie · 07-08-2009, 07:23 PM

Don,

How do they sound after changing them? Any immediate difference or not?

DonRSD · 07-08-2009, 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louhamilton

Don,

How do they sound after changing them? Any immediate difference or not?

i havent done it yet....lol
i will do it when i get home tonight. shouldnt take more than 5 minutes to swap them

sorry for the delay

Eduard · 10-17-2011, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DonRSD

i havent done it yet....lol
i will do it when i get home tonight. shouldnt take more than 5 minutes to swap them

sorry for the delay

Don, Did you find out what is best for your setup?

Sorry to bump this, I just move to a new house and I have the same setup and questions.

HAMP · 10-17-2011, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eduard

Don, Did you find out what is best for your setup?

Sorry to bump this, I just move to a new house and I have the same setup and questions.

You may have to create your own thread to get your question/s answered. Not only did you bump up a 2 year+ old thread, but he has also sold and bought new equipment.

ruSSrt · 10-18-2011, 05:30 AM

if you do creat new thread post a link here, would ya? I'm waiting for my fxi a6 to arrive and wondering if i should switch them around.

Eduard · 10-18-2011, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HAMP

You may have to create your own thread to get your question/s answered. Not only did you bump up a 2 year+ old thread, but he has also sold and bought new equipment.

Not a problem, I will just try to switch it my self and see which one is better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ruSSrt

if you do creat new thread post a link here, would ya? I'm waiting for my fxi a6 to arrive and wondering if i should switch them around.

I will let you know which one is best for my setup.

DonRSD · 10-23-2011, 01:16 AM

to be honest, i never noticed a difference whether the woofers were facing inward or outward.

that being said, since i saw no difference i decided to go with the default woofers OUTWARD and in bipole mode in my 5.1 setip

07-01-2009, 02:06 AM	#1
DonRSD Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2009 Location:South Florida Home Theater Gallery:24 Blu-ray collection:254 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:129	polk bipole speaker direction i have a pair of polk fxi3's i run these speakers on the rear wall in BIPOLE MODE (5.1) according to the polk manual. when the left & right speaker are positioned as left & right.....the 5.25" woofer fires OUTWARD should i switch left to be right & right to be left and have the 5.25" driver point INWARD?

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07-01-2009, 03:20 AM	#2
Hammie Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Washington, DC Metro Home Theater Gallery:53 Blu-ray collection:545 DVD collection:12 Trading Score:12	I have mine installed as Polk recommends and have had no issues with sound or imaging. They just sound awesome! I guess if you want to try them both ways, you can see how they sound.

07-03-2009, 02:29 AM	#4
DonRSD Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2009 Location:South Florida Home Theater Gallery:24 Blu-ray collection:254 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:129	any help???

07-05-2009, 04:01 PM	#9
talstarone Blu-ray Baron Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:Apr 2009 Location:Clayton, North Carolina Home Theater Gallery:88 Blu-ray collection:363 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:54	There are so many types of Bipoles,Dipoles,and hybrid bipoles;I dont think there could honestly be a Bad way to aim them. I can see why the Polks want the woofer facing out,that way the bass can reflect off the wall and back into the listening area.And they all have tweeters pointed towards the outer wall for reflection purposes as well. I dont know too much about the placement of these speakers.But I do know I like their performance considerably. And Don,arent yourPolks also capable of being dipoles as well(with the flip of a switch)?

07-06-2009, 12:58 AM	#12
DonRSD Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2009 Location:South Florida Home Theater Gallery:24 Blu-ray collection:254 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:129	thanks for the response big daddy. im gooing to change around the bipoles tomorrow and have my woofer facing INWARDS i only asked this question because my surround right speaker doesnt 'reflect' off the wall. it goes into the stairway

07-08-2009, 07:23 PM	#14
Hammie Blu-ray Champion Top ranked HT gallery Top contributor Member since:May 2008 Location:Washington, DC Metro Home Theater Gallery:53 Blu-ray collection:545 DVD collection:12 Trading Score:12	Don, How do they sound after changing them? Any immediate difference or not?

10-18-2011, 05:30 AM	#18
ruSSrt Senior Member Top contributor Member since:Feb 2009 Location:WA Home Theater Gallery:42 4K collection:1 Blu-ray collection:510 Trading Score:1	if you do creat new thread post a link here, would ya? I'm waiting for my fxi a6 to arrive and wondering if i should switch them around.

10-23-2011, 01:16 AM	#20
DonRSD Blu-ray Knight Member since:Jan 2009 Location:South Florida Home Theater Gallery:24 Blu-ray collection:254 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:129	to be honest, i never noticed a difference whether the woofers were facing inward or outward. that being said, since i saw no difference i decided to go with the default woofers OUTWARD and in bipole mode in my 5.1 setip

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