Oddball idea - dipole midbass, monopole everywhere else, nearly on wall. Thoughts?

[DS-21]

Against many of my instincts, I'm thinking about cardoid* or dipole midbass for my next front mains, to extend directivity lower.

The rough outline of the speakers I'm contemplating be as follows:
below 120Hz - multisubs (closed box)
120ish-400ish Hz - two 7" drivers with Fs=~50Hz and Qts=0.85
400ish Hz up - 5.25" concentric driver (either the one from the KEF Q100 or the one from the Pioneer Elite S-4EX) ~120º pattern through the midrange, closed box.

However, this setup is a multichannel setup in the living room of my loft, so there are placement issues. (My system is designed to play music, and I like multichannel music. Plotless Hollywood special effects wonders don't generally find their way into my loft.) The baffle of center channel can't be more than about 15" from the wall behind it. So, for midbass only, can close-to-wall placement work for OB/cardoid?

[JonMarsh]

My experience is that might be a little close to the wall, but really, there's only one way to know- cobble up an experiment, place and measure.

The overall idea is appealing... though I've been thinking about it using the Q100 as a dipole midrange. Must not get distracted... must not get distracted!

[DS-21]

Did a quick test today. Two 7" woofers with Qts=.85 and Fs=55Hz. (Measured via WT3.) Rough baffle (piece of .75" MDF Home Depot cut down to 12" by 27" for me), with midbasses spaced 7" apart.

I got a rolloff starting at ~300Hz at my listening position.

So I guess it's all monopole for me.

[Manning]

Experimenting with ideas like yours is always a good thing though. The best way sometimes to find what works is to find out what doesn't.

With the small space you have though, I don't see a realistic option though besides the one you have to settle with. maybe there's a happy medium between the two you haven't considered?

[DS-21]

I haven't measured the drivers in cardoid type boxes, but honestly with my cabinet-maker projecting a late-December/early-Jan finish date I'm just going to stick with closed boxes. I'm eager to get something better-looking - and better-sounding of course - than the KEF Q100's currently serving as LCR placeholders. (Pretty good little speakers, honestly. Look cheap, though.)