How best to skin surrounds with N803's? SCM1? DS7?

[PaulG]

This is my first post here - glad to have found this place after wearing out the search engines @ Home Theater Forum and AVS Forum (love 'em both, but a B&W only spot is pretty neat!). Especially since I've just ended more than a decade of Paradigm Studio Reference speaker ownership to join the B&W ranks.

Anyway, as the thread suggests - anyone here using (or heard) DS7s with Nautilus 804 or 803? I'm a big dipole vs. direct fan and have purhcased DS7's for use with N804s (changing to 803s this week) and HTM1. For side walls, the room will only allow for the size of DS7. N805 and SCM1s are both too large for the space (one side wall open floor up to a soffit that hangs down just 14" or so, so I've got to mount side speakers VERY high!).

I don't have rears yet (but I do have the processing and amps for 7.1), but should I consider a second pair of DS7s or get SCM1's and wall mount them (this I could do, but the back row is mighty close (2 ft. or so) to the back wall -so I worry about localization a little.

I'm also stuck about weather to do sides or rears now and the other later (I can't afford both right now, having just bought the HTM1 and 803's).

If it helps, I can post a pic or two of my room someplace on this site, or you can view some pics here:

http://gallery.avsforum.com/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=1251

What would you do?! Thanks for your thoughts - I'm sure I'll be back with more questions as I get to know my new B&Ws.

[PaulG]

Another thought

After taking a look at my room, I wonder if I should go with the SCM1s on the rear wall and do the sides at a later date (I can't afford both right now).

Thoughts?

[jlee]

Just curious why you like dipoles over monopoles (not saying it's "wrong" just want to hear the other side of the story). I find that monopoles give much better imaging, and when setup correctly, image with the other 3 speakers in a 5.1 setup for an enveloping surround field. I suppose if you have many seats, dipoles may be better, but personally, my wife and I are the audience 95% of the time, with the other 5% having 2-4 guests at the very most.

I would go with a 5.1 system first... optimize that, and then if u feel the need to go 7.1, do it later. I personally prefer 5.1 over 7.1 for most domestic living spaces. 6.1 or 7.1 is more suited for bigger spaces where u have a large "gap" between the 2 rear speakers and want to fill it in... my room is 15 ft. wide and 5.1 actually sounds better than 6.1 or 7.1. With the added 6th channel in the back, it messes up the imaging and confuses things... because I cannot get it the same distance as the other 5 speakers... using the delay isn't the same as getting it the same distance. The more speakers in the system, the harder it is to get "right"... it's already hard enough to really properly optimize a 5.1 system... I would stick with that first.

[PaulG]

jlee,
Thanks for your post/reply!!

I guess I just like the immersion of dipoles. A movie theater has rows of side speakers, creating a diffuse experience. You have some imaging/localization, but not pinpoint. I've had my system set up both ways (in a previous house) and liked the dipole sound better.

In this day of 5.1 audio, maybe I should listen again. What would be the best first move?

[a] DS7s (as monopoles) on rears, fill in sides with DS7's later
[b] SCM1s as rears, stay with 5.1?

Other thoughts/perspectives?

Thanks!
-Paul