Rear fill - good thing or waste of time?

[MikeS]

Hey guys,

I've gotten the vibe from several posts around here that rear fill is not a good thing. I can certainly see the phase issues introduced with having a second set of speakers behind your head.

What's everyone's feeling on this? Is it something that is bad for your overall sound and should be taken out regardless, or is it just a place to cut corners if you're trying to save some dough?

I pulled my DEI 4" coaxs out of the back of my car and in general my rig works and sounds better. My sub level was tied to my rear outs, so now I can control the mix of my sub and my mains easily with the fader control. I also noticed a significant improvement in imaging and clarity because I don't have multiple unlike sources pumping out the same signal.

As you'd expect, the listening experience for a back seat passenger is degraded. You hear a lot of sub in my back seats. Fortunatley I can fade the sub down when I have rear passengers.

So what do you guys think about all this?

Mike

[VoTran24]

I tried to listen to my speakers with it the fader being all in the front and no sound from coming from the rear except the sub in the cargo area. I have a 4runner so it might be different because of the bigger space; but to me it sounds much better with the rear speakers on. Makes it feel like im being surrounded by the music and it sounds more full.

[ANeonRider]

Waste of time and money, with a properly equipped and installed front soundstage, rear fill is a waste and detrimental to SQ.

[Raven]

Wow, ANeonRider, that was bias.

Anyhoo, there's a HUGE number of factors involved here. Personally, I don't like the real fill in my Taurus, unless it's just tweeters (kinky..). It basically comes down to the vehicle you drive, and what you like to hear.

[ANeonRider]

Wow, ANeonRider, that was bias.

Care to define bias?

Screw it, I will:

bi-as:
1. A preference or an inclination, especially one that inhibits impartial judgment.

Nope, not really.

[UndercoverPunk]

I don't miss my rear fill. My front stage is way more than enough to make up for it. I say take it out and seal the holes with deadening.

[cheeseburger35]

i guess i don't have much "rear fill" but i do have 8 mids/highs in my single cab truck 2 4x6 plates in the dash with tweeters 2 in the rear panels and 4 6.5 in a center console thingy between my dash and my bench seat... now the the dash and the rears are louder than the 4 6.5's but that's because of where they're at so i turned the 4x6's down a bit and it all meshes really good.... and i know for a fact that it sounds louder/better now... then when i had just the 4x6's turned up... by the way i'm running all infinity kappa...

[ANeonRider]

i guess i don't have much "rear fill" but i do have 8 mids/highs in my single cab truck 2 4x6 plates in the dash with tweeters 2 in the rear panels and 4 6.5 in a center console thingy between my dash and my bench seat... now the the dash and the rears are louder than the 4 6.5's but that's because of where they're at so i turned the 4x6's down a bit and it all meshes really good.... and i know for a fact that it sounds louder/better now... then when i had just the 4x6's turned up... by the way i'm running all infinity kappa...

You have speakers in the center console? Holy confused front stage batman.

[Raven]

Care to define bias? ... Nope, not really.

Touché. Yeah, maybe bias was the wrong word. Does "That's a very strong opinion about the matter, ANeonRider." sound better?

[ANeonRider]

Yes

[Raven]

Awesome.

What if you have a 60 passenger bus? Eventually you're gonna have to add another set of speakers. They won't be front fill, but they sure as hell are gonna be necessary.

I don't really have room to talk. I unplugged my rear fill after I amped the front about a week ago. Didn't even notice a difference. =p

[ZeroSktr56]

Well, shoot. Maybe I should sell my Infinity's in the back since the majority of you guys say rear fill is useless. I don't sit in the back so they are pretty pointless huh.

[ANeonRider]

In that case, you probably would have to use something, but how many 60 pass buses are concerned about their SQ? lol

But I get what ya mean, its really up to your ears, but even in a van/burban/SUV I wouldn't see the need if you properly install the soundstage.

[ANeonRider]

Well, shoot. Maybe I should sell my Infinity's in the back since the majority of you guys say rear fill is useless. I don't sit in the back so they are pretty pointless huh.

Just fade to the front and see how you like it first. That's what I did and realized that it sounded much much better.

[UndercoverPunk]

I know I won't be putting in rears in my wagon.