why ft stage only?

[gladiator_jai 10+ year member]

There's a huge difference between rear speakers and rear fill. Running rear speakers (typically 6x9 coaxes) amped to match the front speakers without any processing will totally kill the imaging, staging and frequency response. Properly set up rear fill, is just that though: fill. It should be filtered (high and low pass), attenuated (you shouldn't be able to tell that there is sound coming from behind you), delayed (you are trying to recreate the ambiance from a large room) and mono (any stereo separation is lost during the reflection off the rear wall of the "room"). Without considering those things, it just won't sound right. The train of thought with this type of setup is that you are trying to recreate a home STEREO (not theater) and the room that it is in in your car.
I subscribe to a different school of thought that says "any ambiance will be captured on the recording, and by adding any of my own I'm deviating from the concept of 'high fidelity'." For that reason I don't run rear speakers, though I migh be doing a 5.1 system in the next vehicle which is a whole different shooting match.

Awesome info bud, like always. Thanks

 

[1991Brougham 10+ year member]

With me it's about the vehicle's constraints. 1991 Cadillac Broughams don't have any real space in the door panels or kick panels to work with. The Pioneer REV 6x9's deliver the bass that I need and I use the balance knob to adjust how much of the rear I need along with the tone/equalizer settings to create a semblance of a front stage. There is no sub in the Cadillac yet, so it's up to the 6x9's to deliver what I need.

The front speakers are BA 746 4x6 plates and they have sizzling tweets and fairly decent mids for a small speaker. Are they as good as a component 6.5 set? Hardly...LOL! I've got to compromise with what I have available for speaker locations so I'm stuck with the factory's and make do.

If you don't have to worry about such things, then by all means go with comps up front, a sub in the back (or even two or three if you like) and rock yourself silly! Only stick with the factory locations if the vehicle gives you little choice in the matter or you are looking for low budget car audio. I put lipstick on my pig is what it amounted to and I did okay with it, but at the end of the day it's still a pig.

Rick

 

[terra 5,000+ posts]

Who goes to a concert and has there back to the stage? Think about it. Thats my anology...lol

last concert i went to had speakers behind the crowd..

 

[WrenchGuy 10+ year member]

last concert i went to had speakers behind the crowd..

Who was it? The sound guy should be fired!...lol

 

[WrenchGuy 10+ year member]

There's a huge difference between rear speakers and rear fill. Running rear speakers (typically 6x9 coaxes) amped to match the front speakers without any processing will totally kill the imaging, staging and frequency response. Properly set up rear fill, is just that though: fill. It should be filtered (high and low pass), attenuated (you shouldn't be able to tell that there is sound coming from behind you), delayed (you are trying to recreate the ambiance from a large room) and mono (any stereo separation is lost during the reflection off the rear wall of the "room"). Without considering those things, it just won't sound right. The train of thought with this type of setup is that you are trying to recreate a home STEREO (not theater) and the room that it is in in your car.
I subscribe to a different school of thought that says "any ambiance will be captured on the recording, and by adding any of my own I'm deviating from the concept of 'high fidelity'." For that reason I don't run rear speakers, though I migh be doing a 5.1 system in the next vehicle which is a whole different shooting match.

Very good. You took the moment to explain. Most people don't see it as a difference. Thanks. Most questions are about whether or not to put anything back there and not about the details.

I personally liked having midbass rear fill to kinda blend the sub in better. As I went I figured I didn't really need to work with them. Done right it has its pleasures.

 

[NoobieAudio 10+ year member]

okay well i didn't read half of this crap cause everyone seems to have their panties up in a bunch what not. but here is my advice. most music is not designed or recorded in surround sound. when you have powerful speaker in front and back it just kinda takes away from the music "expirence". but lots of people still like a week rear fill. but on the other hand, if you watch movies in your ride then rear fill is a must. surround sound in cars sounds really good if done right and can add so much to the expirence and when movie playing. just fade the speakers to the front.

 

[audioholic 5,000+ posts]

Random thoughts about this thread.

The vast majority of popular music is recorded in 2 channels, not 4. Therefore if nothing else, we can agree that rear-fill, in any form, is a bandaide.

A properly set up front stage will immerse you in the sound, rendering rear-fill obsolete.

The average person is ignorant of, or unwilling to put in the effort to build a properly set up front stage... namely speaker positioning. Rear speakers, or even rear-fill, are a quick and easy fix, that.... almost gets it 'right', so its generally considered necessary. Rendered necessary to such an extent that most people do not even know about the proper methods.

If John Smith's new Lexus came with rear speakers, then by god that's how the music is suppose to sound.

This discussion is about a stereo system, not a surround sound theater system, obviously.

 

[MyFartsStink 10+ year member]

There's a huge difference between rear speakers and rear fill. Running rear speakers (typically 6x9 coaxes) amped to match the front speakers without any processing will totally kill the imaging, staging and frequency response. Properly set up rear fill, is just that though: fill. It should be filtered (high and low pass), attenuated (you shouldn't be able to tell that there is sound coming from behind you), delayed (you are trying to recreate the ambiance from a large room) and mono (any stereo separation is lost during the reflection off the rear wall of the "room"). Without considering those things, it just won't sound right. The train of thought with this type of setup is that you are trying to recreate a home STEREO (not theater) and the room that it is in in your car.
I subscribe to a different school of thought that says "any ambiance will be captured on the recording, and by adding any of my own I'm deviating from the concept of 'high fidelity'." For that reason I don't run rear speakers, though I migh be doing a 5.1 system in the next vehicle which is a whole different shooting match.

This is exactly the way I see it. I see a home stereo as the perfect sound in my ears. When a home stereo is properly done and set up correctly, it sounds so crisp and clear and perfect. As to many cars that I have sat in that supposably have a sq setup, usually sound like shit to me compared to home audio. When I do setups in cars, I try to match the home audio setup as much as possible to make it that perfect sound I like to hear, but is very difficult.