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Dipole Asymmetry

I am considering purchase of a pair of Martin Logan Summit X speakers. In my room, I am somewhat constrained for speaker placement. I could place the speakers about 3-4 feet off the front wall. My main concern is my audio rack would be placed directly behind the left speaker, while there would be nothing placed behind the right speaker. How detrimental would this asymmetry be on sound quality?
imgoodwithtools

Showing 8 responses by cleeds

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cleeds
5,642 posts
 
imgoodwithtools
I am considering purchase of a pair of Martin Logan Summit X speakers. In my room, I am somewhat constrained for speaker placement. I could place the speakers about 3-4 feet off the front wall. My main concern is my audio rack would be placed directly behind the left speaker, while there would be nothing placed behind the right speaker
If this is your setup, there's really no good reason to be considering dipole speakers, imo. Yes, there are things you could do to limit the effects of the constraints you face ... but to what end? Your space is simply better suited to a more conventional box speaker system.
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cleeds
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sbank
...  you need absorption behind the dipoles, even more so if less than 5' distance.
Would you please explain why you'd put absorption behind a dipole speaker, when part of the dipole concept includes reflection off the wall behind the speaker?
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cleeds
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@erik_squires
you need about 15 ms between the direct signal and first strong reflections ...
I get your point about that. I still don't see how absorption behind dipoles would help, unless the reflection was excessive.
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cleeds
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maplegrovemusic
I believe room acoustics is the most important aspect in reproducing music in the home. There is no way you will here the difference with a rack behind one speaker with dipoles.
Those two statements are in complete conflict with each other.
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cleeds
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sbank
@cleeds the sound reflected off the wall behind the speaker is not a GOAL of dipoles it's the DOWNSIDE aka THE COST of dipoles. Try reading the setup tips page on Sound Lab's site for detailed explanation including the math
Oh no, I couldn't disagree more. If you're interested in reading, read the setup manual for Infinity IRS series. The reflection off the back wall from a dipole speaker is deliberate, by design; manufacturers could easily prevent it by not leaving the drivers open in the back. But they don't.
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cleeds
5,642 posts
 
sbank
Who recommends your preferred "Let the rear wave bounce approach" besides Bose?
You’re obviously being facetious, because Bose doesn’t make a dipole. But, to answer your question:

Infinity (of yore)
Martin-Logan
Genesis
King Sound
Polk Audio
Kef
Quad.

Then, there are the manufacturers who try to imitate the dipole sound, such as those who make bipole speakers. You can look that up for yourself. There are also posters in this thread who concur that the rear wave is an inherent - and useful - part of dipole design.

Any dipole speaker manufacturer who wants to dampen or eliminate the rear wave can do so by using construction that will block the rear wave. Simple.
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cleeds
5,642 posts
 
I should have also mentioned what is perhaps one of the grand-daddys of all dipole speakers ... Magnepan.
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cleeds
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bdp24

Do you use grand-daddy literally or figuratively, cleeds? Magnepan has probably done more to popularize planar speakers than any other company, but the original Magneplanar Tympani T-I was not introduced until 1971, long after the original Quad ESL in 1957.

I meant it figuratively. I agree with you - Magnepan has surely promoted the dipole/planar speaker better than anyone else, but Quad was on the market long before them.
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