Direct or Reflect ... What's your flavor


Was thinking about this from another thread. When we think of a basic speaker we usually think of monopoles. That is, speakers with a single baffle or plane from which sound emanates out of to the room, but as long as I can remember there are examples at all price ranges of speakers designed specifically to reflect, or whose basic construction forced rear or side reflections. Among the "forced to reflect" categories:

  • Electro static speakers (Martin Logan, Sanders, etc.)
  • Open Baffle / di-pole
Then we have ambient reflectors, which I include:
  • Bose 901 and smaller direct/reflecting models
  • Snell with their rear tweets
  • Wilson 
  • Probably numerous others
Let be clear though, NONE of these ambient reflectors are accurate. None of these latter elements can be called a way of credibly and accurately increasing the transmission of information from the recording to our ears. To my mind these are all in the land of bass shakers. They add some pizzazz and excitement, and perhaps an illusionary venue.

So, still, for your music and tastes, who has gone with di-poles or ambient reflecting speakers and never looked back?
erik_squires
@tomic601  
Anybody move the chair forward yet to change the direct vs room response but NOT get entirely in the near field ?

Yes, if I am visiting a friend who has a shared music room - living room. You know - gear stacked up against the front wall. The first thing I ask .... as an experiment ....lets put the speakers & a chair  in nearfield first.....just to see how good it can be.

They hear that ......then know after that setup .....everything that follows is a compromised illusion. The discussion that follows is usually about putting the speakers on some type of rollers, to allow them to be pushed against the wall again when his wife is home.

^^^^
@tomic601

Tom

thx but oh...I hope my wife never finds me here. If she did, and saw your comment, she would create an AudioGon account just so she could blast me with a post. 
You see I recently chose an Electrostatic Speaker Repair Project in priority, over fixing the shower stall, and painting the house.
Can’t stand painting, but can’t stand paying someone else to do it more.
Cheers Chris

I like omnis. They put the music in the room the most realistically.  Period.