Home Theater Speaker Advice

I agree with using larger speakers for the fronts if budget permits. Just make sure the drivers match the surround speakers you select.

True, dipoles emulate a diffused soundfield, but home theater is out running real movie theaters in the multi channel department. Dolby digital and dts are already at 7.1 formats and growing. These surround arrays are designed to image like the front channels, and the best results will be achieved by using identical speakers all the way around. As your system grows, simply add more monitors i.e. rear center speaker. Only use a dipole if your space is confined or installation will not permit the use of monitors or larger speakers. Make sure you mount the speakers so the high frequency drivers are about 2'-3' above the listeners head for proper results.

Again, I just don't get it! Why do people continually consider mostly "music speaker designs" for their "dedicated home theater rigs!?"
If you look at what the pro reviewers are using for their reference HT rigs, you'll get a better perspective as to what works, and what doesn't! Keep to their chioces, and you'll get the best results I bet you!
If it ain't broke...don't fix it.

The reason is this: Most people end up playing music in their HT rooms. If they have a seperate music room then oftentimes they like to be able to listen to quality music in the HT room as well.

A dedicated HT speaker just doesn't sound very good playing full range music. But a music speaker sounds excellent playing HT. Just my opinion of course.

I disagree...my 20 years and 1000's of systems under-my- belt's experience says otherwise. a good music speaker(whatever that means) doesn't necessarily sound excellent for playing back movies!...not even clost most often! Especially when you consider that you really need a specialized "cinema speaker" to do in a small room(most peoples room are acoustically small comparatively) what a larger speaker is intended to do in a large acoustic space(where movies are recorded and designed for playback. Traditional music speakers(most) are often far too laidback, colored, blured, diffuse, and un-affective to properly play back the dyanmics, focus, and unrestrained HT soundtracks out there!
NOw someone who is simply impressed by their first or second home theater project, using basic music speakers in their set up, and probably won't know any differnce!..I've seen/heard the difference!..it's not suttle.
I will conceed that traditional stereo monitors are very effective(if set up right, with good acoustical considerations) in a smaller listening environement, but you need to know what you're doing!...most don't. That said, the more specificallyl designed speakers for HT dubties(not necessarilty THX/limited music applications designs for around the house) just work better in helping you hear what the movie mixers intended you to hear!
It's all good though I guess. But the right tools for the job are always better. In this case, I beg to differ with Joew.
On the other hand I"ve found that many "cinema speakers" do extremely well for playing music around the house! STILL, this guy is mentioning his DEDICATED HOME THEATER!..not music system! Why would you recommend a music speaker system for a guy interested in speakers for his HT system!...not HT/music system? That's not logical nor practical.
I bet you LOTS that if you sent this guy's question to ANY REVIEW out there, they'd come back with recommendation and suggestions for DEDICATED HT SPEAKER PACKAGES!!!..not traditional stereo music speaker choices!...ya think?!

Why exactly do you think that many manufacturers "HT packages" are typically 2 floorstanders (from their music lineup), a center channel, a subwoofer and 2 rear speakers (usually bookshelf speakers also from their music lineup...but many go with dipoles)?

Oftentimes the exact same drivers are used in "cinema" speakers that are found in the same company's music lineup.

Maybe 20 years and 1000's of systems you installed can tell me exactly why most manufacturers "HT packages" often include floorstanding music speakers? ya think?!