Do rear channels really matter that much?

[tigeraudio2007]

I use 4 3-way passive speakers as my fronts and surrounds and love the warmth and depth they give my system. The bass is incredible from these 4 speakers. The subwoofer smooths the bass across the entire room. I have had Cambridge cubes, Sony satellites, and 2-way bookshelf speakers connected as surround speakers and they just don't cut it. It feels so thin and bright that I would rather not have surrounds. For the average home theater listener, they probably just don't care all that much as long as sound is emitting from them. But let's face it, we are not the average home theater listener. We love to hear full sound from those surrounds. Makes those explosions sound nice and full instead of sounding like a fart.

[kennyt]

tigeraudio2007,

I can make my own fart noises! My wife wouldn't tolerate another farter in the house!

You are so right! We are NOT the average HT listeners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[deacongreg]

I don`t think its over kill either. Matched speakers across the whole system provides complete and uncluttered sound for music and your SACDs and DVD - As. For those of you who have them as well.

Isn`t that what we sre looking. Full range across the board.

[Butch]

I firmly believe that rear channels matter. How can you have surround sound if you're not 'surrounded'? I do however, take issue with the belief that they must all be equal to the fronts. Movies, IMO, sound best with diffuse, dipole surround speakers.

As soon as publishers clearing house delivers the check I'll put together separate systems. One for movies and one for music. Chesky's recommended setups for surround music is intriguing and I would love to experiment with his theories regarding using a pair of speakers for height information.

[wazzzup]

If you want to really hear rear channels kicking ass, get the DVD of Predator and go to the scene where Arnold and company mow down the jungle. If you dont think surround speakers matter, then you are on crizzack.

[Gerben Van Duyl]

I use 3-way active Procella Audio 815-HE for L/C/R with built-in ICEpower 2,000W amps(!) and the 'identical voiced' Procella 8 for surrounds, which is as close as I can get to full range surrounds. Just a 5.1 as my room is just not big enough for 7.1. I am planning to knock down this house and build a bigger one in its place, complete with dedicated home cinema, 7.1 of course. See procella-audio.com/speaker.html

Spoiler alert: I own the company, together with Anders Uggelberg (www.procella-audio.com/contact.html)

Gerben.