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LRS as surround speakers?

172.59.25.147

dumpingground

I have 1.6 fronts and MMG-C center in a home theater.

Currently using Mirage omnisat speakers for surround duty. I am thinking of updating to Magnepan rear surrounds to bring the Magnepan sound all around. MMG-W ($600), MC1 ($1300) or as the subjects says LRS's at $995 are options.

My second row seating is a sofa on a riser. So the rear surround speakers if floor standing would need to be raised up on a platform for additional height to better clear the blockage of the rear back rest of the sofa.

1. What are peoples thoughts on MMG-W, vs MC1 vs LRS for surround? I like the thought of the LRS. Potential future DIRAC room EQ systems are said to make better use of low bass performance of all speakers to even out bass response (DLBC DIRAC Live Bass Control). So having the LRS's might be useful in the future in the rears.

2. MMG-W or MC1 would be wall mount of course, but LRS's might need to be adapted to be hung from the ceiling to accommodate the height of the back row. What are thoughts on LRS's suspended via chains from the ceiling? How might that impact sound with the LRS potentially "swaying in the wind"?

3. Given the fact that the second row is on a riser and in the rear of the room the drop ceiling is a little lower, the speakers (MMG-W, MC1 or even LRS) might need to be suspended from the ceiling horizontally instead of vertically a bit below the ceiling height and a foot or two above the height of the rear of the sofa. How might that impact the sound?

thanks

Follow Ups:

RE: LRS as surround speakers? - MarcL 10:59:43 02/25/25 (5)
MC1s (4) hanging with plastic tube with a steel wire inside so they can be angled properly. CCR is hanging on chains but resting on a shelf on the TV.
LRS surrounds are upside down hanging on wire on a plant hook, and resting on a little shelf. All of this to allow some adjustment of angles and aiming.
This was during mounting and wiring ... I did clean it up :-)

Agilist, Musician, Photographer, Audiophile
7.1.4 Magneplanar: 3.7, CCR, LRS, MC1(4), DWM(2); Emotiva B1+; GR Research OB Dipole Subs (2x3); Emotiva XMC-2; Nord One NC500DM; Nord Three 1ET7040SA; VTV NC502MP; Crown XLi800;OPPO 205

Edits: 02/25/25
- RE: LRS as surround speakers? - dumpingground 11:11:53 02/25/25 (4)
  MarcL,
  
  thank you for your response. It certainly looks like you have been on a journey (MMG-W to MC1 to LRS). Based on your experience, the shortest path to bliss for me would be to go straight to LRS.
  
  What has been your experience with DIRAC and Magnepan dipoles? Does the DIRAC algorithms handle the speaker dipole dispersion patterns ok?
  - Room correction - DrChaos 08:31:47 02/28/25 (0)
    > What has been your experience with DIRAC and Magnepan dipoles? Does the DIRAC algorithms handle the speaker dipole dispersion patterns ok?
    
    I use Anthem ARC but I suspect the Dirac would be the same.
    
    I had great results but only if limiting the max frequency of correction to 1000 Hz or below. Do more, and the Maggie Magic is snuffed, the immersive hyper-realistic soundfield somehow doesn't happen.
    
    The Anthem manual recommends similarly when using Martin Logan ESL speakers (Anthem and ML are jointly owned) so they know this effect.
    
    With the ARC the crossover to the subwoofer was fantastic and smooth, and taking out the low bass frequencies from the planar panel (there is a resonance between 40-55 Hz on all maggies I think) cleaned up the dynamics, and achieved the "snap" and some of the density of the best cone speakers while keeping the superior immersion and liquidity.
  - RE: LRS as surround speakers? - MarcL 12:18:28 02/25/25 (2)
    Dirac handles Magnepans just fine. I did my original calibrations in 2018 when I just had 3.7 and MMGC and other surrounds. I've also done calibrations for a friend who has 3.7i and also Minis. And I did the calibration for an Atmos room with all Maggies at Capital Audio Fest.
    
    The twist in my current setup is I use the Rooze setup for the front 3.7 pair. That setup happens to work well in my room - doesn't work in all rooms. But, it puts the speakers 45 degrees pointed at the wall, and the rear wave goes across the back, and I had to do a lot of adjusting so that Dirac would see the primary reflection as the source rather than leaking front and back waves. I solved that.
    
    For a normal setup with speakers pointed at the listening position Dirac has no issues, and it does an amazing job with phase, impulse and amplitude correction.
    
    Also note my liberal use of diffusion. Here's my current drawing. The tan things at the edge of each 3.7 are oak baffles screwed to the edge.
    
    Agilist, Musician, Photographer, Audiophile
    7.1.4 Magneplanar: 3.7, CCR, LRS, MC1(4), DWM(2); Emotiva B1+; GR Research OB Dipole Subs (2x3); Emotiva XMC-2; Nord One NC500DM; Nord Three 1ET7040SA; VTV NC502MP; Crown XLi800;OPPO 205
    - RE: LRS as surround speakers? - dumpingground 17:24:13 02/25/25 (1)
      I see your GIK Gridfuser diffusion products. What are the other diffusion products in your setup? It looks like you have several different products in your room.
      - RE: LRS as surround speakers? - MarcL 17:42:15 02/25/25 (0)
        
        In Reply to: RE: LRS as surround speakers? posted by dumpingground on February 25, 2025 at 17:24:13
        
        30 Vicoustic Multifusers ... front wall and sides, overhead and slightly behind the couch, side walls left and right of the listening position. Some 3" 1D diffusers (can't remember the brand) on top of bass traps around the ceiling corners. A couple Gridfusers on the rear wall. And lots of DIY bass trap material in all four corners and behind the TV.
        
        The way it happened was I had way too much absorption and I found the thinner diffusers first, then I found the Vicoustic ones and added them as I found them on sale or B-stock.
        
        With the dimensions of the room I didn't want hard reflections so I felt that adding diffusion was the best way to keep the sound in the room without making it too dead.
        
        Agilist, Musician, Photographer, Audiophile
        7.1.4 Magneplanar: 3.7, CCR, LRS, MC1(4), DWM(2); Emotiva B1+; GR Research OB Dipole Subs (2x3); Emotiva XMC-2; Nord One NC500DM; Nord Three 1ET7040SA; VTV NC502MP; Crown XLi800;OPPO 205
RE: LRS as surround speakers? - MarcL 10:49:26 02/25/25 (0)
Well .... I can comment at length since I currently have 3.7, DWM, CCR,LRS, MC1 (11 panels total) and have done hundreds of Dirac calibrations as this system has evolved over the years. :-) Oh and, a pair of GR Research open baffle dipoles as subs (3x12" each)

Currently the LRS have replaced MC1 as surrounds. Four MC1 have replaced MMGW and a pair of small Polks as Atmos Tops. I also am experimenting with an Aperion supertweeter augmenting the LRS.

So ... happy to share my experience ...
Agilist, Musician, Photographer, Audiophile
7.1.4 Magneplanar: 3.7, CCR, LRS, MC1(4), DWM(2); Emotiva B1+; GR Research OB Dipole Subs (2x3); Emotiva XMC-2; Nord One NC500DM; Nord Three 1ET7040SA; VTV NC502MP; Crown XLi800;OPPO 205

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