Purpose of using same speakers for surround?

It is an interesting theory, but a very bad way to allocate your budget. Lets say you have $20K to spend on those four speakers. Your options are spending $5K on four identical speakers. Alternatively you can spend say $9K a piece for mains and $1K a piece for surrounds (or $8K/$2K - whatever) . If like most of us you spend most of your time listening to either stereo, movie soundtracks with most information on the center channel and the occasional discrete MCH misc source with lots of information on the surrounds, you are far better off spending a lot more on mains.

Edorr, your dismissal of the previous advice and subsequently offered advice, is predicated on assumptions and qualifications that have not been provided by the OP. Even if what you suggested were true for the OP, very often the budget allocation could permit the less expensive surrounds to come from the same manufacturer, which would more often than not, be a better match with the mains.

The question is about 4 identical speakers (not same manufacturer). I totally agree that getting the same manufacturers speakers is typically a good idea. But I stick by my opinion that in most applications getting 4 identical speakers is not. (Exception would be an avid classical music listener with extensive MCH SACD collection).

Edorr, I suggest you read past the title of OP opening thread opening. The other obvious exception is for those that have separate audio and HT rooms.

Interesting thoughts all, and perhaps my topic was a tad too broad?

I can now see a definite merit for same speakers if I were listening to classical music via MCH SACD... I am not. Clearly this would be ideal for those that do.

For me, I listen to various forms of music including rock, modern jazz, pop, and r&b among others, which I run through 2 channel via an AH! cd player.

I also like concert videos, and movies in 5.1, via DTV(HD), or a Panny Bluray.

My modest system includes a Rotel 1077, NAD T175, Mirage M7si - MC2 - PS10, and early Paradigm's for the rear.

I'm not talking about a major investment in picking up another set of M7sis, but for those of us with similar listening habits, do you feel the change would make a significant improvement, or not worth the effort?