# Looking at Emotiva ERD-1 bipoles for surrounds but....



## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

They will have to placed on the wall right behind me, which my couch is up against.

I know surrounds are supposed to go to the sides of the LP, but I want to replace the towers I have as surrounds to clear up some room, so i'll have to put them behind me and up/over some, which if i understand right is not the ideal placement for surrounds.


Will they 'work' in that situation?


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## mechman (Feb 8, 2007)

That's a good question. And it's one that I am interested in as well as I've contemplated using bi-poles as my surround speakers in the past. I never did finish researching this though. I'll be watching this for answers. :T


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

I would not suggest putting bi or di pole speakers behind you, to the side yes but not behind you; and I'm one of the few people that likes a bi - di surround. 

As my friend Paul Scarpelli once said "A diffuse sound field is not desirable when the speaker is firing into a deflector of pink cartilage...the back of your ear."

A lot depends on the room but you are right, bi-di surrounds should generally be placed to the side of the LP and about 2 feet above. 

Regardless of "the pink cartilage", If your room is fairly small the diffuse sound field from a bi-di surround may be more desirable than a direct radiator that is only inches from your ear.


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

nova said:


> I would not suggest putting bi or di pole speakers behind you, to the side yes but not behind you; and I'm one of the few people that likes a bi - di surround.
> 
> As my friend Paul Scarpelli once said "A diffuse sound field is not desirable when the speaker is firing into a deflector of pink cartilage...the back of your ear."
> 
> ...


Well I really want to get them, as I'm hoping they are the last surrounds I buy. They are specifically wall mountable (they come with a mounting plate) and want to replace the big towers I'm using as surrounds. The towers are about 3 ft from the ends of the couch, so I'm really not sure what to do with the Emotivas. They get stellar reviews so far.


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Please don't take my previous post the wrong way. I'm not trying to convince you not to go with bi-di speakers. I have RBH Sound 66-SE surrounds in my system, they are a hybrid bi-di speaker and I love them. I'm merely making some broad generalizations about bi-di surrounds. The Emotiva's may be just the ticket for your room.


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## jacare (Oct 28, 2010)

nova said:


> Please don't take my previous post the wrong way. I'm not trying to convince you not to go with bi-di speakers. I have RBH Sound 66-SE surrounds in my system, they are a hybrid bi-di speaker and I love them. I'm merely making some broad generalizations about bi-di surrounds. The Emotiva's may be just the ticket for your room.


No, not at all. I'd love to be able to use them as they were intended (however that is), I just want to try to make them work however I can. I'd put them on the sides of the LP for sure but unfortunately one side is a sliding glass door and the other side is completely open to the kitchen. Literally, my only spot(s) is on the back wall which the couch is against, and that is a real bummer.

IDEA: maybe there's some way to put them on stands. I'll have to call emotiva and see what they say, maybe there's a way I can mount the back plate to a stand or something.


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