bipole or dipole...help

[Erman_94]

for my surrounds i am usiıng some polk fxia4's and they are bipole-dipole speakers. it has a little switch on the back where i can change back and forth.

my question is...which should i put it to?

i flicked back and forth between the two and couldnt tell much of a difference

any help would be appreciated,

thanks

[Twitch9]

Di-pole is one side in phase the other out of phase, and bi-pole is both in phase, i use di-pole speakers they are better for movies IMO over bi-pole, if you look up this information you will understand more of what the speaker is doing when the speaker facing the back is out of phase, it is very important to have the L and R speakers in the correct position when using them as di-pole speakers.

Here is some reading for you, this will help explain how the speaker works in the DI-pole setting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dipole_speaker

[mtbkr]

https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=66471
this was a big help when i decided to pick up new surrounds

[Steve]

A lot of it has to do with where they're positioned. If they're positioned to the sides of the listening position, then either setting will work well. If they're on the back wall, though, bipole would probably be the most beneficial.

[DonRSD]

dipole is used when the speakers are used on the SIDE WALLS

bipole is used when the speakers are used on the REAR WALLS

[Aerodude73]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

dipole is used when the speakers are used on the SIDE WALLS - bipole is used when the speakers are used on the REAR WALLS

Note to self for ____ months from now when I have a few extra bucks...

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

dipole is used when the speakers are used on the SIDE WALLS

bipole is used when the speakers are used on the REAR WALLS

Dipole side surround speakers are installed on the side walls or hung from the ceiling on the same line as your main listening seat.

Bipole side surround speakers can be installed on the side walls or hung from the ceiling behind the listening area. You don't have to install them on the rear wall.

Some believe that dipole side surround speakers belonged to the old Dolby Pro Logic era. As a general rule, Bipole speakers have better bass response and give you better results on discrete multichannel sound, including lossy and lossless codecs.

Bipole speakers can also be used for front speakers. They fill the room completely and surround you in total sound. All Definitive Technology Super Tower speakers are bipole.

[Animo]

I have 4 Emotiva ERD-1 surround speakers. They can be switched like the Polks for either dipole or bipole operation. One feature I like with the switches is that the dipoles can be set specifically for the left or right side. Therefore, I have the sides set as left and right dipoles, and the rears are set as bipoles. One other setting is inverted bipole......anyone have a clue what that setting does?

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Animo

I have 4 Emotiva ERD-1 surround speakers. They can be switched like the Polks for either dipole or bipole operation. One feature I like with the switches is that the dipoles can be set specifically for the left or right side. Therefore, I have the sides set as left and right dipoles, and the rears are set as bipoles. One other setting is inverted bipole......anyone have a clue what that setting does?

Here's what your manual has to say about the the subject.

Left/Right Inverted Bi-pole This switch configuration has BOTH tweeters out of polarity with the midrange driver. It's recommended for situations where the speakers are mounted on a wall or stands behind the listener where a distance of less than 4 feet separates the speakers and they are at ear level (or below). Sometimes, the effect of inverting the polarity on both tweeters places more focus on the front L/C/R channels which makes the rear speakers seem to be further away than they actually are.

[Hammie]

Does anyone own any bipole/dipole speakers that can be switched between the two modes via a 12v trigger?

I'm going to be getting a pair and have a question about the wire I can use for the trigger. If I run a 12/4 speaker wire to them, can the extra pair of wires be used for the trigger or am I asking for trouble with potential interference?

[ozzman]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Dipole side surround speakers are installed on the side walls or hung from the ceiling on the same line as your main listening seat.

Bipole side surround speakers can be installed on the side walls or hung from the ceiling behind the listening area. You don't have to install them on the rear wall.

Some believe that dipole side surround speakers belonged to the old Dolby Pro Logic era. As a general rule, Bipole speakers have better bass response and give you better results on discrete multichannel sound, including lossy and lossless codecs.

Bipole speakers can also be used for front speakers. They fill the room completely and surround you in total sound. All Definitive Technology Super Tower speakers are bipole.

As you know BigDaddy my fronts are Bipolar and my center omnipolar (I believe Mirage made the first bipolar speaker in 1987 with help with NRC).I love my front stage.

Remember i had a pair Paradigm ADP-170's for rears before i gave them to my son and got two pairs of Paradigms Studio 20's (also replacing my PSB 800i's).
I found useing Bipolar and dipolar for the backs gave good ambients for Blu-movies but i didn't enjoy them much for music.










I Know alot of us or sold on useing Bipolar for backs even rears.But for myself iam more satisfied with the switch i Made.(could be just personal preference )
For strictly Movies i like bipolar but for music ,it's a different story

[Twitch9]

Originally Posted by DonRSD

dipole is used when the speakers are used on the SIDE WALLS

bipole is used when the speakers are used on the REAR WALLS

i would have to disagree with that dipole can be used on back walls, they actually sound better than direct or bipole IMO. Paradigm has done studies to prove that a test audience preferred the sound of dipole speakers in a 7.1 setup using all 4 dipole surround speakers.

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Twitch9

i would have to disagree with that dipole can be used on back walls, they actually sound better than direct or bipole IMO. Paradigm has done studies to prove that a test audience preferred the sound of dipole speakers in a 7.1 setup using all 4 dipole surround speakers.

I believe you are confusing 5.1 and 7.1 speaker setups.

Normally, surround speakers are placed at or above ear level. If they are placed behind the seating area, bipolar speakers are best. If the speakers are placed to the sides of the listener, dipolar speakers are the best. When doing 7.1, the additional speakers are placed behind the listener, again at or above ear level.

Dipole surround speakers are typically labeled Left and Right so that, when you place them on the sides, the in-phase drivers are pointing towards the front of the room. This allows them to be in phase with your front speakers and avoid cancellation problems that can occur when out of phase drivers are facing each other.

If, in a 7.1 setup, you decide to use another pair of dipole surround speakers in the rear, you will have to place the left speaker on the right side and the right speaker on the left side as in the diagram below. This is to avoid cancellation problem when the speakers are out of phase. If you decide to use direct radiating speakers in the rear, you will not need any special consideration.

Diagram created by Big Daddy

For dipole speakers, if there are arrows on the speakers they should face the front of the room for the side speakers, and toward the center of the wall for the rear speakers.

Many people prefer bipolar speakers for surround applications because of their better bass response, their installation flexibility, and the way they fill the room with sound. I am not aware of the study by Paradigm that you mentioned. Do you have a link to their study?

[Twitch9]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

I believe you are confusing 5.1 and 7.1 speaker setups.

Normally, surround speakers are placed at or above ear level. If they are placed behind the seating area, bipolar speakers are best. If the speakers are placed to the sides of the listener, dipolar speakers are the best. When doing 7.1, the additional speakers are placed behind the listener, again at or above ear level.

Dipole surround speakers are typically labeled Left and Right so that, when you place them on the sides, the in-phase drivers are pointing towards the front of the room. This allows them to be in phase with your front speakers and avoid cancellation problems that can occur when out of phase drivers are facing each other.

If, in a 7.1 setup, you decide to use another pair of dipole surround speakers in the rear, you will have to place the left speaker on the right side and the right speaker on the left side as in the diagram below. This is to avoid cancellation problem when the speakers are out of phase. If you decide to use direct radiating speakers in the rear, you will not need any special consideration.

Diagram created by Big Daddy

For dipole speakers, if there are arrows on the speakers they should face the front of the room for the side speakers, and toward the center of the wall for the rear speakers.

Many people prefer bipolar speakers for surround applications because of their better bass response, their installation flexibility, and the way they fill the room with sound. I am not aware of the study by Paradigm that you mentioned. Do you have a link to their study?

I will have to try to find the article i read it a few years ago, I believe the study was done buy Paradigm and one of the HT magazines when Paradigm was introducing the new ADP dipole speakers. I'll see if i can find the article and post a link.

I do like your point with reversing the back dipoles when using all 4 in a surround setup, most people would not know to do this.