FXi5 woofer aiming?

[PolkThug]

The Fxi5’s arrived this morning. I’m going to hook them up in dipole mode, to the sides of the listening position (2 Polk in-walls will be the rears). In this setup, which way do you face the woofers on the Fxi5’s, aiming towards the rear, or aiming towards the front? I’m thinking towards the rear *imagines black hawk flying in*.

Regards,
PT

[PolkWannabie]

They should be marked on the back LEFT & RIGHT ...

[PolkThug]

So, does the LEFT have the woofer firing forward, or to the rear?

Thanks,
PT

[johnny_utah]

if it is the same as the FXi3 (should be), the speaker mounted on the left side (your left like if you where on the couch) will have the woofer firing forward, toward the listening area, and the tweet firing back toward the wall.

[PolkThug]

Went home at lunch at looked at 'em. Damn, they're huge! Woofers are forward firing. Can't wait to get these mounted.

[up2youjoe]

I have the FXi3's. If I'm sitting on the couch looking at the tv the FXi3 to my direct left is marked "LEFT" on the back of it. My woofer is facing the REAR and the tweeter is facing forward. That is the opposite of what johnny_utah said.

Steve

[Airplay355]

you put it which ever way sounds better to you...it isnt real hard to switch them around so just listen one way, them swap speaks, and listen that way.

[johnny_utah]

Originally posted by up2youjoe
I have the FXi3's. If I'm sitting on the couch looking at the tv the FXi3 to my direct left is marked "LEFT" on the back of it. My woofer is facing the REAR and the tweeter is facing forward. That is the opposite of what johnny_utah said.

Steve

my bad. I guess I have mine setup wrong, but they sound great. sorry.

[up2youjoe]

Airplay355

I guess you can swap them around and leave it anyway you want but there is a reason they are marked left and right. For proper surround sound effect I would assume that you should hang them as they are marked. Again, If it sounds better to someone to hang them the opposite of what Polk says they are free to do so.

Steve

[PolkWannabie]

This is actually fairly interesting ... I wonder, since the FX's when being used for side surrounds should still be slightly beind the listener, that for those having problems locating them behind the listening area if they would work ok slightly in front of the listening area if swapped left and right.

[PhantomOG]

this was discussed in a thread before and if I remember correctly Polk CS said that if the speakers are placed against the back wall you should switch the L and R so that the woofers fire in toward the listening area.

but my memory might be wrong. my fxi30s are mounted on the back wall, woofs pointing inward.

[PolkWannabie]

If the FX's have the woofers set to fire towards the back when they are mounted on the sides then when they are on the back wall the woofers would be firing into the listening area as opposed to towards the side walls.

In any case this isn't what I was suggesting or asking ...

In the past there have been those who have moaned about not having an appropriate place along the side walls but behind the listening area to put side surrounds. In this case it would be interesting to check the performance of bi/dipoles like this when mounted on the side walls but slightly forward of the listening area and see if they were better if left and right were reversed. One MIGHT ?! suspect that they would be better this way than with traditional left and right mounting when the only choice is for them to be forward of the listening area.

["Polk" Paul DiComo]

In designating L&R we make the assumption that the speakers are on side walls in the classic THX position in a 5.1 system. Given different placement and a 7.1 system frankly I'm not sure which orientation would work better. I now see we missed dealing with this issue in the manual. Doh! Anyway there are no rules. By all means experiment as several others have suggested, and see what seems to work best for you. Personally I would be listening for which position localizes less and provides the best front to rear blend. I detest systems that have FRONT and REAR images with no solid side-fill image.

Have a good time 'sperimenting and let us know what you wind up liking best.

[Airplay355]

my woofers are pointing out, i like it better that way.....if they weren't marked L&R then people would have one woof pointing in and one pointing out and then complain about how bad the speakers sound.

[PhantomOG]

Originally posted by Airplay355
...people would have one woof pointing in and one pointing out...

is that really possible? without vertical flipping the speaker? maybe i'm just lost on this whole topic :p

[PolkWannabie]

Originally posted by PhantomOG


is that really possible? without vertical flipping the speaker?

No, it's not.

[DaveJo]

Bringing this question back from the dead.

I'm about to hang my Fxi3's I have an extra Csi3 that I'm thinking of using as a rear center.

What would popular opinion be of placing the Fxi3's with woofers pointing out ie: not towards each other when using a center.

Thanks! :)