9 replies to this topic

[Tritty]

Hey guys, I've heard mixed opinions on having a rear stage for SQ, some say you will lose points as it takes away from the front stage and some say it can add to the front stage...what do you think? Add rear speakers or don't bother? (it is only ever me an the missis in the car so no passengers in the back to worry about:p)

[~Spyne~]

Depends on your definition of 'sound quality'.
If you are asking about MEASQ competition, then generally a rear stage will be a negative thing.
HOWEVER, a rear stage processed correctly can actually improve the staging up front without 'dragging' the soundstage backwards.
You need to have control of phase, band-pass crossovers, time alignments, levels and eq on the rear speakers in order to achieve it and it can be extremely difficult to get 'right' (as an example, Mark from Frankston Car Audio tried it for over a year without being able to get it right and he's damn cluey when it comes to SQ)

[Tritty]

Thanks for that spyne, I was referring to MEASQ competition Must be a very hard thing to get right then

[syd-monster]

Its not so much thats its hard to ger right, but more that its a source of colouring & ilussion. So get it wrong and it will be obvious and unatural addition (to an already compramised) sound stage. But get it right and just like a good illusionist, it can make you perceive incredible things.

[muzzy66]

I've heard a lot of talk about rear helping to improve your stage - to be completely honest I've only ever found it makes things worse.

It's not something that I ever see myself pursuing because much as I've tried to play around with it, I always find that it just gets nicer when they're off.

[MAS Andrew]

I ran rear fill in my cars in the early 90's and won dozens of comps during the 90's.
I always chose certain vehicles or rear speaker locations that would allow a proper enhancement to the front stage.
Rear fill is just that.. Done correctly it will not be noticeable that you have rear speakers but it will completely help your front stage height, depth, width and centre image..


I ran rear fill in my cars in the early 90's and won dozens of comps during the 90's.
I always chose certain vehicles or rear speaker locations that would allow a proper enhancement to the front stage.
Rear fill is just that.. Done correctly it will not be noticeable that you have rear speakers but it will completely help your front stage height, depth, width and centre image..

[Big_Valven]

I ran rear fill to help the sound stage, but I didn't have any processing at the time. It did help what was a fairly limited soundstage.

I'd like to use it again in future, as I've tuned some cars with rear fill and liked what I heard.

[TMM]

It's best used only after you have your front stage sorted.

It shouldn't be use to tune-out a deficiency in the front stage, unless your system has no processing what so ever.

[SQXPRT]

rear speakers are for surround sound. that is all.

[thanh]

IMO I wouldn't bother with a rear stage.