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greatwhite · 03-21-2008, 08:09 AM

Here's the skinny on front/rear speakers and sound stage (as I understand it) in a nutshell:

Some people say front speakers only, some say use both. The reasoning behind both is sound stage and what is the best reproduction of the original sound.

Think about when you listen to a concert. The musicians are all up in front of you, and that's what front speaker only people are trying to replicate. The sound is full and bright and if set up right, it often sounds as if the musician is standing on the dash playing music. Just like standing on a stage at a concert.
Another "bonus" (if you want to look at it that way) is that you can turn the music up a bit in the front without having your rear passengers deafened or unable to converse with the front seats because they can't hear you. You could do the same thing by turning down the rear speakers, but this defeats the purpose of them in the first place.

Sounds just about perfect right?

Well, here's the other side of that coin:

When you are at a concert, yes the music is being generated in front of you. But the sound echo's and bounces off objects around and behind you, giving the "fill" effect people mention. See where the rear speaker crowd is going? They use the rear speakers to create this "fill". But you have to do it right and the rear speakers play pretty low. Some others will argue that the front speakers sound bouncing around in your ambient enviroment gives the best fill properties. Personal choice, in my experience, is the best determining factor in this debate......

Some others will cry out "how will you ever get 5.1 without rears?" Well, from my "limited" research, the car is a P*** poor enviroment for this anyways. And the only real time it's of any use is when watching movies, and even then it's only of any real use for the front seats as the sound stage has to be set up properly. The rears only add ambient sounds in 5.1. Listen to your home setup on rears only to get a better idea.

I currently run front speakers only, and the sound is great. I was listening to janet jackson the other day and it sounded as if she was sitting right there on my lap. Then cheryl crow came on and it sounded just the same. Anytime a sound system can fool your ears like that, that's pretty good in my opinion!

However, I'm going to try adding the rears to my setup, just to see if there is a more realistic reproduction of the sound. Keep in mind, I'm using the KXDriver project so I'll be messing with levels and sound delays too............important if you want to try and "fill out the sound" by giving impressions of reflected sound and echo's. It'll e more of a little experiment for me though, I'm the consumate tinkerer, I can never leave well enough alone...............

It's all up to you and your ears. Put simply, what sounds best to you.

Cheers

03-21-2008, 08:09 AM	#6
greatwhite FLAC Join Date: May 2007 Location: Top o' the world Ma! Posts: 1,271	Here's the skinny on front/rear speakers and sound stage (as I understand it) in a nutshell: Some people say front speakers only, some say use both. The reasoning behind both is sound stage and what is the best reproduction of the original sound. Think about when you listen to a concert. The musicians are all up in front of you, and that's what front speaker only people are trying to replicate. The sound is full and bright and if set up right, it often sounds as if the musician is standing on the dash playing music. Just like standing on a stage at a concert. Another "bonus" (if you want to look at it that way) is that you can turn the music up a bit in the front without having your rear passengers deafened or unable to converse with the front seats because they can't hear you. You could do the same thing by turning down the rear speakers, but this defeats the purpose of them in the first place. Sounds just about perfect right? Well, here's the other side of that coin: When you are at a concert, yes the music is being generated in front of you. But the sound echo's and bounces off objects around and behind you, giving the "fill" effect people mention. See where the rear speaker crowd is going? They use the rear speakers to create this "fill". But you have to do it right and the rear speakers play pretty low. Some others will argue that the front speakers sound bouncing around in your ambient enviroment gives the best fill properties. Personal choice, in my experience, is the best determining factor in this debate...... Some others will cry out "how will you ever get 5.1 without rears?" Well, from my "limited" research, the car is a P*** poor enviroment for this anyways. And the only real time it's of any use is when watching movies, and even then it's only of any real use for the front seats as the sound stage has to be set up properly. The rears only add ambient sounds in 5.1. Listen to your home setup on rears only to get a better idea. I currently run front speakers only, and the sound is great. I was listening to janet jackson the other day and it sounded as if she was sitting right there on my lap. Then cheryl crow came on and it sounded just the same. Anytime a sound system can fool your ears like that, that's pretty good in my opinion! However, I'm going to try adding the rears to my setup, just to see if there is a more realistic reproduction of the sound. Keep in mind, I'm using the KXDriver project so I'll be messing with levels and sound delays too............important if you want to try and "fill out the sound" by giving impressions of reflected sound and echo's. It'll e more of a little experiment for me though, I'm the consumate tinkerer, I can never leave well enough alone............... It's all up to you and your ears. Put simply, what sounds best to you. Cheers __________________ For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci Last edited by greatwhite; 03-21-2008 at 08:29 AM.