Which speakers are best for surround sound on a 5.1 Ch setup? I am going to use the surround for watching movies from DVD only. A bi-directional surrounds like the (Polk FXi3) or a front-firing like the (Polk R50). Currently I own: Center: Polk CSi3 L/R: Polk RTi10 I am using a old Yamaha receiver and I am planning on replacing it with something more powerful.
What is the size of your listening room? A lot of times, if the room is small and the surrounds are rather close to your seating position, regular front firing speakers will do. Bi-directional speakers work better in a larger room. But, personally, I'm a little biased towards bi-directional surrounds.
Then bi-directional would be the way I'd go. A little higher up on the walls.
Freakshow
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Not to be nit-picky, but speakers that fire in front and back are called bipolar if the drivers are in phase and dipolar if they are out of phase. Many surround speakers are switchable between these modes.
Main speakers can also be bipolar or dipolar. Definitive Technology makes bipolar speakers. Martin Logan and Magnepan speakers are dipolar by design.
The answer depends on what you listen to most. More and more I listen to concert dvd's and a direct radiator is better for music than a bipolar or dipolar. Direct radiators also work well with movies and considering your current mains I would buy the RTi4 for surrounds. I would stay in the RTi series regardless and not go down to the Monitor line. If you are not into multichannel music then the fxi3 would be a good way to go. I just depends on your source material.